Harbingers of Doom
by rodney
Summary: STAR WARSGENE RODDENBERY'S ANDROMEDA crossover Sequel to All that Glitters takes place in SW galaxy Chapter 12 now completed
1. Chapter One

A long time ago, in a Galaxy far far 

away... 

Star Wars 

Vs. 

Andromeda 

"Harbingers of Doom" 

The NEW REPUBLIC had 

finally defeated the Forces 

of the YUUZHAN VONG 

and restored peace to the 

Galaxy. 

Unknown to all, a new threat 

is breeding in the Deep Core. 

For the last Thirty years a 

DARK LORD OF THE 

SITH has been gaining in 

power. 

Now Luke Skywalker and 

his brave JEDI KNIGHTS 

must fight once again to 

protect the Galaxy... 

Chapter One 

The Republic-Class Star Destroyer Griffon lead its task force through the Khomm Systems. Two of the older MC80 type Mon Cal Cruisers followed in formation close behind along with six powerful Rebel Assault Frigates. 

Admiral Tealera Meduk stood on the Bridge of her Star Destroyer marvelling once more at how she ended up here. Some thirty years ago she had turned her back on the Empire, leaving the Imperial service after a failed invasion of a distant galaxy. She had spent the next few years gaining the trust of the Rebel leadership and even commanded a small gunship at the battle of Endor. 

She had resigned from the Republic Fleet after the defeat of the Cloned Emperor and spent the next few years in relative quiet on Chad. That is until the Yuuzhan Vong came and conquered the planet. 

The Vong were defeated now, for the most part driven from the galaxy though some forces remained. The Republic was scattered, many of its member worlds having collaborated with the Vong, were now afraid of the repercussions from worlds that had stood against Vong. 

"Admiral," the Captain of the Griffon, Trist Orine, said as he approached Meduk, "We are detecting some strange energy readings on the edge of the system. They do not match any energy type known to the Republic." 

"Let me see," Meduk said taking the datapad he was carrying and reviewing the data carefully. 

"This looks familiar to me," she said before the realization hit her, "Change course to intercept." 

"Bring all combat systems on line, raise shields and be prepared for a fight." 

"Admiral, what is it?" Orine asked. 

"Thirty years ago," Meduk told him, "I commanded a secret mission for the Empire, these energy spikes are similar to a pattern I remember from that mission. Let's just say it went badly." 

"Admiral," the sensor officer called, "We are detecting over three hundred small vessels approaching this position." 

"Show me," she ordered. 

A wireframe diagram of one of the ships appeared on her holo-monitor, it looked like nothing more than a large spike with four claw-like wings. As the diagram coalesced into a real-time image she could see that the vessel was jet black and glossy, reflecting the small amount of ambient light. 

"Battle stations," Meduk ordered, "Have all craft target those ships, I want them erased from the universe." 

"What are they," Orine demanded. 

"Swarmships," Meduk responded, "Death, the Magog." 

Seeing that he wasn't going to get a understandable answer out of her, Orine decided to simply carry out her orders. 

"All craft are engaging, Admiral," Orine reported. 

That was when it all fell apart. 

The Mon Cal cruiser on the starboard side exploded as three strange missiles struck home. 

"What in the worlds," Orine gasped. 

"They're equipped with point-singularity projectors," Meduk responded quietly, "This fight is too big for us. Captain, take us into hyperspace." 

"What about the planet," Orine demanded. 

"The planet is lost either way, Trist," she told him, "And believe me, this is much worse than you think." 

_______________ 

Power filled him, like no other creature had ever experienced, star, planets, galaxies they would all bow to him and the power of the Abyss. Once he was a Sith Lord, Darth Krell he was called, but he had moved beyond the power of that flesh being. He never realized that flesh could be so limiting. 

Now he was a dark and terrible creature with consumed with power that glowed like light from his insubstantial form. And he had servants, Harbingers of the Abyss he called them, who would spread his power across the universe. 

Thousands of slaves laboured before him, constructing the artificial star that would power his new vessel. The Emperor had granted Worldships to those of his servants who pleased him and had served him well. Krell had been aware of this and had stolen the plans for the vessels from the Emperor's own database. 

This vessel however, was an adapted form. Two planets would be placed in position over the artificial star and directly attached to each other by massive structures and held together by artificial gravity. The best part was that as his power grew he could add more worlds to the vessel and carry even more of his servants with him across the cosmos. 

He had already sent his Harbingers, the holy warriors of the Abyss that some had called Magog, to conquer several nearby worlds. Once that had been completed the was able to build the forces he needed to conquer the galaxy. 

Swarmships were built, Harbingers were born and fed, and they grew in numbers. It had only taken five years to build a force large enough to bring this galaxy to its very knees. 

The Abyss would be served. 

_________________ 

The Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, hero of a hundred battles and champion of the Force was laying on the floor of his private quarters at the Jedi Academy located deep in the Kessel Maw, playing peekaboo with his three year old son. Luke was amazed at the progress the small child had already made in the Force. Ben was already able to do things that non of the Solo children had been able to do at his age. 

"Daddy," Ben said with a strangely serious voice for one so small, "Bad things. Bad things." 

Confused at his child's statement, Luke picked Ben up from the floor and tried his best to comfort him as he grew more upset. A comm. signal interrupted Luke's attempt to make sense of a three year old. 

Luke activated the communication system and said, "Skywalker here." 

"Master Skywalker," the image of female Republic Admiral appeared, "I'm not sure if you remember me Master Skywalker, I am Admiral Tealera Meduk." 

"Of course Admiral," Skywalker replied, "I do remember you, but you haven't contacted me in thirty years. Why now?" 

"Master," she began, "Six hours ago, I encountered a Magog swarm in the Khomm System. I believe you remember the Magog." 

"I remember," Skywalker replied, "This is bad." 

"Very bad," Meduk replied, "They don't seem to be fooling around this time, as they did with the Commonwealth, they are using point-singularity weapons. The Republic has no defence against that kind of weapon." 

"I need your help, Master," Meduk told him, "My ship is waiting outside the Maw, as we can't navigate the black holes, I'd like you to come with me to Coruscant to convince the Republic to commit our forces to defeating the Magog invasion before it can spread." 

"Of course," Skywalker replied," I'll be no more than an hour." 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two 

The Star Destroyer Griffon entered orbit of the planet Coruscant, now a very different world then the one Luke remembered from just six years ago. The Yuuzhan Vong invasion had left many worlds scared beyond all recognition, but none were so scared as the Republic's Capital world. 

The Yuuzhan Vong had chosen Coruscant to be their Capital world as it been for the New Republic and the Empire before, and so had begun a process of transformation that would strip the planet of all aspects of high technology which they found blasphemous. Buildings had crumbled, killings millions and even billions during the harsh years of Vong occupation. 

When the Yuuzhan Vong were finally driven from Coruscant many argued that the world should be abandoned, that the Republic should allow it to remain a barren and harsh world, never to be occupied again by galactic governments. The Republic however, had decided that too much history, and tradition were wrapped up in the old galactic capital to let it lie fallow. Beside that, the argument went, leaving Coruscant in its "Vongaformed" state was a tactic admission of defeat. 

Already ten, fifty kilometre diameter, safe zones had been built to handle the hundreds of millions of refugees who had survived the planet's fall. Thousands of teams searched the underground warrens for survivors and thousands were being brought in every day. 

One such Safe Zone was now occupying the place were the Imperial City once stood. The Chief-of-State for the New Republic, now known as the Galactic Alliance, as well as some of the major government offices had moved back to this enclave in preparation to re-establish the Capital there. The Senate as well as the new Jedi Council were for the present still operating on the provisional Capital of Mon Calamari. 

An Alliance fleet guarded the planet from possible attack from any hostile force, either Yuuzhan Vong or one of the new warlords that had emerged in the last few years, Star Destroyers and Heavy Cruisers formed a wall in high orbit of the former capital world. 

The shuttle carrying Meduk and Skywalker down the planet landed at the rebuilt Palace Starport not far from the newly built Government Buildings. Once they had arrived, Luke's position allowed him to quickly gain access to the Chief-of-State. 

"Chief-of-State Cal Omas," Luke began, "This is Admiral Tealera Meduk on the Galactic Alliance Defence Force. Cal, we have a problem." 

A few hours later the Ruling council had been convened to here Luke and Tealera's report. 

"Nearly twenty-five years ago I led an Imperial mission to a distant galaxy," Meduk reported to the Council, "These creatures, whom the native inhabitants of that galaxy called Magog, were a major threat to those worlds. They had been a major factor in the destruction of a multi-galactic Commonwealth, not dissimilar from our own Alliance." 

"The Magog are an aggressive species," Luke added, "They use sentient beings as incubators for they're young. These larval Magog, eat their way out of the host body with great pain, often leaving the host entirely awake during the process. Those sentience not used as incubators, are used as food. Magog seem to prefer sentience like over all others for sustenance." 

"Master Skywalker," Cal Omas started, "I appreciate the danger, and I have no desire to relive past mistakes, but the Galactic Alliance does not have the resources to fight another war." 

"By now," Meduk replied, "All the people of Khomm are either dead or dying. We may still be putting things back together from the last war, but we need to act now." 

__________________ 

"Harper, please," Rev Bem was saying, "Your making this harder than it has to be." 

Both Harper and the reformed Magog were standing in the landing bay, prepping the small Wayist vessel for launch. 

"You know how it is Rev," Harper was saying, "We don't get to see you much, I mean its been a year since you were last aboard during that whole Imperial thing, and it's hard to see you go." 

"Harper, you know I cannot stay," Rev told him sadly, "There is much work to be done, much to atone for." 

"We've been through this before Rev," Harper replied, "You have things you need to do. Maybe I could go with you." 

"Harper, your needed here," Rev replied in shock. 

"Not really," Harper told him, "We've got nearly a full crew now, over four thousand strong, including engineers. While none of them are as skilled, or good looking as me, they can do the job without me. 

"At least for a while." 

"Harper, where I must go, you do not want to follow," Rev answered, "Though your offer mean a great deal to me, it is too much a danger for you. 

"I am sorry." 

At that moment the ships illumination levels dropped to battle lighting and the klaxons began to wail. 

On the Command Deck, Dylan Hunt is standing at his Captain's station wearing the dress down uniform he had come to favour. 

"Andromeda, report," Dylan called. 

"A large Magog swarm has just come out of slipstream, the video representation of Andromeda reported, "Too many for us to handle." 

"Take us into slipstream," Dylan ordered forgetting that it was Trance standing at the Pilot's station as he focused on the oncoming danger. 

"Transiting into slipstream in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2..," the ship lurched and shook much more violently then it normally would as it made the shift into the alternate reality of slipstream. 

Dylan looked back, surprised to that it was Trance who had made the jump, she had not piloted through slipstream since they had first encountered the Worldship almost two years ago. 

Andromeda began to buck and weave as Trance began to fight the stream, banging into the superthreads that bound worlds and galaxies together. 

"Trance," Dylan called, "Don't fight the stream." 

"It started it," the gold skinned girl replied. 

Finally with another incredible lurch Andromeda exited slipstream. 

All around command crew members were picking themselves up from the deck, as Dylan himself tried to regain some of his composure. 

"Trance, what have you done," Dylan asked. 

"I'm not really sure, yet," she responded cryptically. 

"Dylan, star positions match nothing in our records," Andromeda reported, "I have no idea where we are." 

"Captian Hunt, we're detecting a large force of ships in orbit of planet in this system," the sensor station reported. 

"Dylan," a stunned Andromeda said, "They're Star Destroyers, and there is one approaching." 

"Battle stations," Dylan ordered. 

Luke, Meduk and Cal Omas continued to discuss the Magog issue privately long after the meeting with the Ruling Council. The Chief-of-State was trying to grill every detail out of the others memories from over twenty years prior. 

A comlink beeped on Cal Omas' desk and he answered the channel. 

"What is it," the tired leader asked. 

"Sir, an unidentified ship has entered the system. It appears to be a warship and is not answering any of our hails." 

"Send us the tactical feed," Meduk ordered over the comm., and the image of a large vessel appeared on the holopad on Omas' desk. 

Both Meduk and Luke became absolutely fixed on the image in front of them. Omas looked on with some surprise of his own at the completely alien design of the ship as well as the reaction of the two sitting in front of him. 

"Is that Magog," he asked. 

"No," Luke replied, "That's the Andromeda, the Commonwealth ship we served on." 

"Which Star Destroyer is that," Meduk asked in reference to the ship going to meet the Andromeda. 

"The Griffon, Ma'am," the voice returned. 

"Order the Griffon to try their hails on the radio band," Meduk ordered, "Tell them to greet the Andromeda Ascendant and escort that ship into planetary orbit, compliments of Tealera Meduk and Luke Skywalker." 

"Andromeda Ascendant," the message rang out from the Star Destroyer, "This is the Galactic Alliance Star Destroyer Griffon. Welcome to Coruscant. 

"We are ordered to escort you into orbit and to send the compliments of Admiral Tealera Meduk and Master Luke Skywalker." 

Trance turned the Pilot's station over to Beka as Dylan tried to get over his shock. It didn't make any sense after all, Meduk and Skywalker were on the other side of the universe and five thousand years in the past, by Rommie's estimate. They could not be here. 

"Dylan," Rommie said as she strolled onto Command, "I think I know where we are." 

Dylan nodded for her to continue. 

"We still have one damaged Imperial shuttle in our landing bays, Harper has been tinkering with it for months without much luck," Rommie told them, "But the navigational computer was still on line. 

"I crossed referenced the navigational data from the shuttle with current star positions. We are in orbit of the planet officially designated Imperial Centre, but also known as Coruscant, the capital of the Empire. Star position however, would indicate that more then twenty years had passed in this galaxy since the shuttle navigational data was current." 

"What exactly are you saying," Tyr demanded from the tactical station. 

"We have travelled over five thousand years into the past to a point approximately twenty-five years after the Imperial mission to our galaxy began. From their perspective." 

"Shouldn't we maybe answer the big, powerful Star Destroyer that is bearing down us, and tell them what is going on," Beka asked. 

Dylan opened the channel, "Star Destroyer Griffon, this is Captian Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant. Lead the way." 

"What the hell happened down there," Dylan said as he reviewed the orbital data. The planet looked as though it had been completely covered in cityscape, now much of that lay destroyed. 

"I think we're about to find out," Rev said from the communication section, "A shuttle has launched from the surface and is requesting permission to dock." 

Dylan nodded his accent. 

"Beka, Tyr and Harper," Dylan called, "Join me in the launch bay." 

A few moments later a large, white, vaguely insectoid shuttle landed aboard the Andromeda. The access ramp opened and five figures exited the ship. The two non-humans were obviously security or perhaps body guards, one was tall will two large appendages dangling from his head and the other even taller and looked like nothing more then ancient Earth legend of the Big Foot.. The first human was a much older but wiser looking Tealera Meduk, the other two were not recognizable but both human. 

It was Harper who first recognized the robbed figure along side Meduk. 

"Hey, that's Luke Skywalker," Harper whispered to Dylan. 

To Dylan's surprise he realized that Harper was right, this man however looked nothing like the young man, Dylan had known only a year ago- from his perspective. 

As the group approached, Dylan could see the surprise on the face of Tealera as she got her first good look at the Andromeda crew. 

"The years have been good to you, Captian Hunt," Meduk said with surprise. 

"It's a long story Admiral," Dylan replied, "One I'll be glad to share." 

"Of course," Meduk responded and than turned to introduce her party, "I imagine that you would remember Master Luke Skywalker." 

"A pleasure to see you again Luke," Dylan said with a nod and the now much older man. 

"And this is our Chief-of-State, Cal Omas," Meduk continued. 

"I didn't realize, that we would be receiving you, your Excellency," Dylan began, "But it is a pleasure non the less." 

"No need to worry Captian," Omas responded, "There has been little use for fanfare in the last few years." 

"Captian Hunt," Luke spoke for the first time, "I'm afraid we must cut the pleasantries short. The Magog are invading our galaxy and we need your help." 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three 

The planet Saccoria had avoided some of the worst effects of the war with the Yuuzhan Vong. The strong presence of the Corellian Sector Fleet in the region and the Republic's empty victory at Fondor had kept the Vong at bay. 

And that was the way First Lieutenant Sime Overa preferred it. 

As one of the human minority on the planet, when he tried to join the Saccorian Security Force he was often relegated to menial tasks. Overa had been working the orbital tracking system almost since the Corellian crisis almost twelve years prior. It was however a job and it kept him from some of the dirty task his fellow humans often had to do. 

Strange energy spikes began to fill the monitors, as dozens of ships began to appear in the outer reaches of the system and moving fast toward Saccoria. The ships were smallish, no bigger than a decent sized freighter but they kept appearing until hundreds of them filled the monitors. 

Reaching over to activate the emergency comm. system Overa spoke, "The is Orbital Tracking Station One, we have multiple contacts in the outer system. System reading four hundred-eleven contacts." 

"Understood," a Selonian voice responded from Defence Command Central, "Your data is confirmed. We are taking appropriate action." 

The appropriate action the controller referred to was the launching of Saccoria's small defence fleet. Gathered together of the past five years from every possible source, the Saccorian fleet, numbering twenty-seven capital ships and twelve tactical squadrons of starfighters ranging from ranging from TIE fighters and X-wings to an old Preybird and a B-wing. 

The invading fleet outnumbered the defenders by a wide margin but the Saccorian command was confident they could hold their own. Overa was not so confident and with good reason. The invading forces used mass missile strikes to disable the heavier warships and quickly swept passed the remaining ships to land on the planet. 

Thousands of coarse furred creatures began to pour out of those craft and into the major population centres. Trained soldiers ran in fear as they watched the carnage unfold before them, these creatures descended on the population like piranha beetles, devouring flesh and tearing people to shreds. 

Overa watched in horror as even more alien ships began to appear in the system, all driving for the planet below. Orbital Tracking Station One was on the Saccorian moon known as Sarcophagus, where the population buried their dead, and Overa was unable to do anything except to record the carnage. 

For two days the aliens ravaged the planet until nearly a third of the population had been murdered or eaten, several more days passed by and Overa watched in horror as he saw thousands of new aliens bursting forth from the still living bodies of thousands of people. 

On the ninth day of the invasion Overa finally managed to hack into the Holonet communication network and shot a message through to Corellia and Coruscant. He sent all the data he had collected from the planetary networks and a plea for help. 

The communication seemed to attract some unwanted attention, the aliens tracked his signal. They were coming for him. 

___________________ 

"Five thousand years," Luke said with pure incredulity as Rommie tried to explain the time difference, "Your certain?" 

"Not exactly," Rommie said from Dylan's side, "There is a margin for error of five hundred to a thousand years in either direction." 

"That is incredible," Cal Omas said from his seat in front of Dylan's desk, "Though it explains why only a year has passed for you while well over twenty years have past for us.. 

"You said you needed our help," Dylan prompted wanting to the meeting to focus. 

"Yes," Skywalker responded, "As we've already explained, within a few years of the events in your galaxy, the Rebel Alliance managed to bring down the Empire. We established a New Republic and set about to restore peace and good government to the galaxy. 

"We had nearly succeeded when a little over five years ago we were invaded by the Yuuzhan Vong. They swept through this galaxy like a plague and killed billions on their rampage through our territory. We finally defeated them about eight months ago and we have been cleaning up small pockets of resistance ever since." 

"A few days ago," Meduk continued, "while on patrol in Khomm system, near the deep core, we encountered a Magog swarm fleet. We are ill prepared to fight such an invasion, we lost so much in the last war that we wont survive another." 

"I'm not sure what we can do to help," Dylan responded, "The Andromeda is here because of an accident, there is no Commonwealth Calvary coming, and even if we could we have our own Magog problems to deal with." 

"We understand," Omas replied, "We aren't expecting you to abandon your own people for us. We are asking for any tactical data you may have, successful tactics or psychological blind spots we can exploit." 

"Will give you everything we have of course," Dylan told them. 

A chirp on Meduk's belt distracted the conversation. 

Meduk demanded, "What is it?" 

"Admiral," the voice said with a bit of a quiver, "We are receiving a recorded transmission from Saccoria. It appears the Magog have attacked the Saccoria system." 

"No," a shocked and defeated sounding Cal Omas said getting up from his seat," It is all happening again." 

"Wait a minute," Rommie interjected, "You say they are attacking from the core of this galaxy?" 

"Yes," Luke answered. 

Rommie looked at Dylan, "The Magog never attacked the core sectors first, always the fringes of the galaxies. If they are attacking from the Core, that must mean they originated in the core. Dylan this may be the Magog's galaxy of origin. 

"Dylan," Trance called from down the corridor causing the Captian to reluctantly come to a halt, though he did not turn to face the gold skinned woman. 

"What is it Trance," Dylan asked. 

"Dylan, we have to help these people in any way we can," Trance told him causing Dylan to finally face her. 

"Why, Trance," he asked, "What aren't you telling me?" 

"I'm not sure why Dylan," she answered, "I'm really not. I just know that it is important; that it means everything." 

"Dylan, you have to trust me." 

"I'm trying Trance," Dylan responded, "But we already know that this galaxy is going to fall, it is five thousand years in the past Trance. The Magog still exist in our time, you can see the problem." 

"Yes," Trance replied, "But even if we cannot change their future, we still might be able to save ours." 

"I'll think about it Trance," Dylan told her, "I promise." 

Satisfied that Dylan would do what was right Trance continued down the corridor toward the ships hydroponics gardens. Rounding the corner she was genuinely surprised to see Luke Skywalker standing there. 

"Hello Master Skywalker," she said trying to slip by him, but Luke would not let her pass. 

"Hello Trance," Luke replied, "I'd like to speak with you for a moment." 

"I am kind of busy," she said, afraid of where this conversation might lead. 

"I want you to know you were right about me," Luke told her, "A long time ago I fell to the Dark Side, I led the armies of darkness you spoke of, I became a servant of evil." 

"Luke," Trance replied, "I was wrong, well mostly. You may have fallen to the Dark Side for a time but you came back. I never saw that happening, I believed that you would be even worse than your father." 

"What do you know of my father," Luke asked with surprise, "Even I didn't know my father when I was in your galaxy." 

"I know about your father Luke, but I cannot tell you how." 

"We really got keep Trance away from the Slipstream drive," Harper said to no one in particular dodged new crew members working on the Core. The certainly wasn't the first time Trance's piloting skills had got them all in trouble. 

The first time they had let Trance pilot the Andromeda through slipstream, she was still purple and innocent and she landed them right in the middle of the three-hundred year old battle of Witchhead. The next time Trance took the pilot seat Andromeda duelled with the Magog Worldship and Harper left with a belly full of Magog larva. 

"Now were lost, thousands of years in the past in a completely different part of the universe," he called out. 

"What was that, Harper," one of the new engineers asked. 

It was Carl Thompson a Commonwealth expatriate from Terazad and somehow related to one of Andromeda's old High Guard crew, and rather proud of it. 

"Never mind Thompson," Harper replied sheepishly and carried on 

"It could be worse," Luke Skywalker's voice called out from the end of the catwalk, "She might have dropped you right in the middle a nest of angry Gundarks." 

"Luke," Harper cried rushing to see his old friend before his mind caught up with him, "Uh, I mean Master Skywalker." 

"Harper," he replied, "You can still call me Luke. It is hard to believe that only a year has gone by for you Harper, you haven't changed a bit. It is kind of like time stood still for you." 

"Well it hasn't let me tell you," Harper told him, "Things are starting to get hairy back home. And I mean that literally. The Magog are growing in numbers and we've been having a hell of a time driving them off." 

"I'm sorry to hear that Harper," Luke said, "I wish we could help." 

"Me too," Harper replied picking up a piece of equipment to repair, "You guys may be having your own troubles with the Magog but, your ships are dynamite against them." 

"Perhaps," Luke answered as he began to sense something from Harper as he worked. 

Harper continued to talk about the virtues of shields and holonet technology as Luke began to focus deeper on Harper. And there it was. 

"Harper, what were you just doing," Luke asked. 

"I was calibrating a Exotic Matter regulator coil," Harper told him, "And now I'm going to go repair the AP injectors." 

"Don't bother sir," Thompson called out, "We replaced them this morning." 

"Oh, okay," Harper replied, "I guess I'll go check the Exotic Matter Lenses." 

"Also already done sir," Thompson replied. 

"Good work," Harper said uncertainly, "Your going to put me out of a job Carl." 

"I do my best, Seamus." 

A comlink beeped a Luke's belt and he answered, "Skywalker, go." 

"Hey kid," a voice Harper didn't recognize called out, "Leia and I are waiting for you in the Government Buildings." 

"Hello Han," Luke responded, "We'll be planetside in about half an hour." 

"See ya then Kid," Han replied, "Solo out." 

"Did that guy say Leia," Harper asked with a smile, "It that the same girl you were pinning over when we first met." 

"Yes," Luke said with an odd smile, "Though she ended up marring my best friend, but I was fine with that." 

"Really," Harper inquired, "Why's that?" 

"We found out she's my sister," Luke told him and was pleased to see the strange look on the other face, "Harper, I've got to go now, but I'd like to see you later. There is something I would like to discuss with you." 

Luke turned to leave and was nearly out of the Slipstream Core when something finally struck Harper, "Hey Luke, what'sa gundark?" 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four 

Dylan hadn't really taken the time to look at the planet Coruscant before. Travelling down to the planet in the Maru he could see the devastation reeked by the Yuuzhan Vong. The capital world of the Galactic Alliance he was told was once home to billions of sentient beings, a world covered in a city so ancient that it seemed to defy history itself. 

Truth be told much of that city remained, though ruined beyond all comprehension except for the small pockets of life eked out by the last survivors of the former population and the few enclaves carved out of the ruination by the former Republic's massive construction droids. 

Beka piloted the Maru in silence as they approached the new government centre of the Alliance, a vast structure at the very heart of the Imperial City Enclave. The Government Buildings, Luke had told them were built on the site of the Senate building which had served the Old Republic, the Empire and the New Republic for over a thousand generations and that much of the old building had been rebuilt as part of the new complex. 

"The building itself is almost completed," Luke had told them, "though the Senate has elected to remain on Mon Calamari for the time being." 

"We're being cleared for landing pad three-two-seven," Rommie announced. 

As Beka approached the pad Dylan thought he could see several figures waiting for them near the safety barrier. 

Waiting on the landing pad were Leia Organa Solo and her husband Han. The droids See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo were there with them. 

Han had his arm around Leia's waist, holding her close to himself, as if protecting her. Both of them looked very tired, the years of endless warfare had taken there toll on the couple. 

"From this vantage point one can see that the reconstruction of the city is going very well," Threepio was saying to Artoo, "Why at this rate the city will be entirely rebuild in less than Two hundred years." 

The faithful droid continued chattering about the rebuilding efforts to his counterpart as the Maru landed. 

"Do you think they'll have good news," Han asked. 

"I doubt it," Leia responded. 

Luke exited the large cargo vessel first and behind him a striking figure, well built with intelligence and determination in his eyes followed. This must be the Captian Dylan Hunt that Cal Omas had told her about. 

Breaking free of her husbands protective hold Leia raced over to her brother embracing him. It had been several long months since they had last seen each other. Luke often remained on Mon Calamari leading the Jedi Council or at the Jedi Academy deep in the Maw, while Han and Leia had taken a long needed vacation near the fringes of the Corporate Sector just arriving on the planet a few hours ago. 

Releasing her brother she allowed him to cross over to Han and the two men shook hands tightly, staring hard at each other, a moment of intense friendship displayed in a deep bond between them that Leia only vaguely understood. 

"Han, Leia, this is Captian Dylan Hunt, his first officer Beka Valentine and Andromeda's Artificial Intelligence Avatar, Rommie," Luke introduced. 

"I am Leia Solo and this is my husband Han," Leia replied, "You already know Artoo and this is his counterpart See-Threepio." 

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you." 

"The military council is meeting right now," Han told them, "They're just waiting for to arrive." 

The group began to move into the building heading for War Room. 

"The military high command is talking about moving the fleet from Corellia to attack the Magog at Saccoria," Leia told them, "The plans are all but in motion, but the final decision hasn't been made." 

"They want to here my opinion," Dylan said knowingly. 

"Cal does, and so do some of the military brass," Leia replied, "Most are only going along with it because they figure you won't be able to influence the outcome." 

"We'll see," Dylan told her, "We'll see." 

Entering into the War Room was like entering into another world. Alliance Generals, Admirals and politicians were arguing like school children over what to do about the Magog. Dominating the wall of the far side of the Room a large holoprojector displayed a incredibly precise rendering of the galaxy. 

Dylan had been briefed about the current position of the Alliance fleets prior to arriving on the planet and he could see that all seven worlds currently basing the largest portions of the fleet were marked out in bright yellow, with an eighth world, Coruscant marked in red. Khomm and Saccoria were marked in black. 

"The fleet at Corellia is ready to fight now," a very alien senator who Luke identified as Durg of Geonosis said through a translation droid. 

"We could end this threat in a day," the bug-like senator continued, "Let us not make the same mistake we made with the Yuuzhan Vong." 

"We have no intention of making the same mistakes senator," Cal Omas replied coolly, "But let us not make any new ones either." 

"Perhaps Captian Hunt can enlighten these proceedings," Admiral Meduk said for her position at the far end of the table. 

"Well Captain," Omas asked, "Do you have any suggestions?" 

"Well first I'd like to say that using the Corellian Fleet is probably a bad idea," Dylan told them which got the attention of all gathered, "I would suggest moving your fleet in from Lok." 

Each member of the council turned to look at the galactic map. Lok was a world not far from Geonosis. That region of space had seen the flight of much of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet and two other fleets were located nearby at Naboo and Tatooine. 

"Why Lok," the Alliance Supreme Commander Sien Sovv asked 

"The first Commonwealth world to fall to the Magog was Brandenberg Tor, a world of three billion sentients. The nearest High Guard battle group was at a world called Abihsot. When the High Guard arrived to fight the Magog at Brandenberg, Abihsot, a world of half a billion people was attacked. While did not do to Abihsot what the did to Brandenberg, the lose of life was still considerable." 

"Lok, according to the data I was given, has a very small native population," Dylan elaborated, "The planet would not be a meaningful target for the Magog." 

"Admiral," Omas asked, "how long would it take to get the fleet from Lok to Saccoria." 

"Not long," Sovv responded, "Lok is right of the Corellian Run. It would be a matter of only a day or two to get them there ready to fight." 

"The Corellian's are ready now," Kelosk 72, the Khomman Senator replied with anger uncharacteristic for his species, "We must strike back quickly before more worlds meet the fate of Saccoria and Khomm." 

"Corellia is a ripe target for the Magog," Dylan tried to explain, "Leave it undefended and the Magog will strike there. Beside all that, the Magog fleet uses slipstream drive, they can literally travel anywhere in this galaxy faster then you can move ships to fight them." 

"How do we fight them then Captian," the senator asked. 

"Be mobile," Dylan replied, "Keep your forces moving. You have a great advantage in faster then light communications. Use it." 

"Detach your fleets into smaller units, keep them roving. You can't protect every world at all times, but you can make them feel protected by visiting every world you can with task force or battle group." 

"So when the Magog attack they can reinforce each other by running to the rescue," Sovv reasoned. 

"Precisely Admiral," Dylan told him. 

"Your plan is sound Captian," Sovv told him, "We will implement it after we strike back at Saccoria." 

_________________ 

The main drydock facility for the Imperial Shipyards at Yaga Minor burned uncontrollably. Early reports indicated that the primary reactor core had failed, a major cataclysm for the two thousand Imperial soldiers and workmen working on the station. 

Grand Admiral Gillad Pellaeon watched with some resignation as the facility began to break apart. It had been the first large scale attempt to get the Yaga Minor Shipyards back to full working order since the end of the Vong war. 

Yaga had been the target of the fleeing Yuuzhan Vong fleet as it swept through Imperial space retreating from the Republic onslaught. Pellaeon found comfort in that thought, the New Republic after losing Coruscant to the Vong had formed the Galactic Alliance, the Empire having been attacked by the Vong, joined the Alliance and added their strength to the former Republic's forces. 

It was fortunate too, for the Vong fleet that had so damaged Yaga Minor was crushed between the vice of Republic and Imperial forces. But the war had taken its toll. 

Bastion had been destroyed, the Yaga Shipyards heavily damaged and Muunilinst left in ruins. The once formidable Imperial fleet had been decimated by the fleeing Vong forces. 

"Admiral," a duty officer spoke softly from behind Pellaeon's left shoulder, "We have received a communiqué from Coruscant. It is marked Alpha Zero Priority." 

Pellaeon turned away from the still burning wreckage of the drydock and acknowledged the officer with a nod. Crossing the bridge to a semi-private comm. terminal he opened the message from Coruscant. Reading it very carefully, very slowly, Pellaeon digested the information. 

Walking back over to the bridge viewport, Pellaeon looked out again at the fading fires marking the wreckage of the drydock and came to a decision. 

"Have the Leviathan and the Right to Rule form up with us," Pellaeon ordered, "We're going to Coruscant." 

A few moments later the three Imperial Star Destroyers made the jump to Hyperspace. 

_____________ 

The power of the Magog was growing, one worlds in the Deep Core millions of the hungry harbingers lay waiting the command of their master. The Worldship was nearly completed as two massive hollowed out worlds now loomed over an artificial star. 

Soon the conquest of this galaxy, and the destruction of its inhabitants would begin in earnest. 

More then twenty years ago the Dark Jedi, a Sith Lord named Darth Krell had taken hostage several High Guard engineers. Over the years many of those engineers had died or been murdered by Lord Krell or the form he had now taken, an undefined spirit full of Dark energy. 

It had not been long since Krell was a human being, flesh and blood, now his power grew. The one weakness that Krell now had was that he tired quickly in his new state, though as he grew stronger those moments of weakness grew shorter. 

Yu Wang had been one of those High Guard engineers, he had helped build the equipment that had created the Spirit of the Abyss and he was the last one left. The years of fear and pain had broken him, as it had all the others, he became a mindless servant doing only what his master required and not thinking too much about what he was doing. 

A useful skill when applied correctly when in the service of a Dark Lord. 

The attacks on Saccoria and Khomm had awakened something deep inside of him. He was responsible for those attacks, he had helped build the machines that had slaughtered millions. Now he would do everything in his power to stop it. 

Wang knew when the Dark Lord was resting, everyone did, it was when the pressure on your mind eased. Using this opportunity he slipped into the cavernous launch bay and onto an unmanned Swarmship. He had lead the team that had designed them and knew how to fly them. 

Cycling through the ships computer he found what he was looking for, the route to Coruscant, the capital of this galaxy. The computer programed two jumps, one to Corellia and a longer route from Corellia to Coruscant. 

Activating the ship, Wang lifted from the deck and shot out into space. Dozens of Swarmships patroled local space, but wang managed to evade all of them. Fear drove him one and gave him a clumsy kind of skill. 

Activating the Slipstream Drive, Wang left his masters behind. 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

            "Yes the Yuuzhan Vong were very terrible," See-Threepio was saying, "They had a particular distaste for mechanicals of every kind, from droids to starships."

            "That sounds horrible," Rommie replied, "Artificial intelligence in the Commonwealth was excepted as equal to biological sentience, but prejudice existed.  I couldn't imagine an entire spacefaring civilization that could get along without machines."

            Artoo whistled his agreement in the matter.

 "Magog are a different kind of beast," Rommie told them, "a bigger terror to biologicals then to AI but still willing to destroy anything that gets in their way."

 Artoo beeped out a question to Andromeda.

"No Artoo," she answered, "I don't know what Dylan's plans are.  He will want to do what he can to help your galaxy, but we do have our own to defend.  The sad fact is we know how this war is going to turn out.  Your galaxy will fall, why else will the Magog survive."

 "Oh dear," Threepio intoned, "Your certain?"

 "It is the logical conclusion," Rommie replied, "This war is ancient history to my people, and yet the Magog still invade my galaxy, nothing we can do will change that."

 "Rommie," Dylan said poking his head around the corner of the hallway they were standing in, "It's time."

 From his position on the far right of the Galactic Alliance military delegation, Dylan could make out three Imperial shuttles approaching.  All three craft were similar to the designs captured by the Commonwealth, from the perspective of this galaxy, nearly three decades ago.

 Dozens of military officers and political figures decked out in their finest attire stood waiting for the shuttles to arrive.  Even the Chief-of-State, Cal Omas, stood ready to greet the shuttles as they touched down.

 Seeing Admiral Meduk, Dylan walked over to her and picked up a glass of green wine from a nearby waiter droid.

 "I thought you guys didn't stand much on ceremony these days," Dylan quipped.

 "Normally we don't," Meduk replied, "But when the Grand Admiral of the Imperial Remnant arrives we do what we can to show our best face."

 "Interesting," Dylan said with a smile.

 Looking back to the Imperial craft Dylan could see that the shuttles had landed.  All three ships lowered their entry ramps and a series of Imperial officers and soldiers debarked from each ship.  

 Stepping down from the central shuttle, wearing a dark overcoat over his resplendent white uniform, was Grand Admiral Pellaeon.  For decades this man had served the Galactic Empire and he had ruled the Empire for many years.  Instinctively Dylan understood that this man was no one to be trifled with, despite his obvious age.

 Over on the podium, Cal Omas awaited the Grand Admiral.

 "Admiral Pellaeon," Omas began, "Welcome to Coruscant."

 "Thank you, Excellency," Pellaeon replied and a tired look came over his eyes, "I understand that we have a new problem."

 "It never ends," Omas replied with a tiredness of his own.

 Leading the older man down to the reception area, Omas caught the eye of Captain Hunt.  Dylan placed his glass of wine down and gestured for Meduk to accompany him as he joined the two leaders.

 "You must be Captain Hunt," Pellaeon said as Dylan approached, "I was aware of the original mission into your galaxy, Captain.  A pity that the situation could not have been resolved better.  For both of us."

 "Yes sir, Admiral," Dylan replied.

 "I've read the reports about these Magog," Pellaeon told him, "despicable creatures."

 "You have no idea, Admiral," Hunt told him.

            "Yes," Pellaeon said cautiously, "Sadly the Empire cannot commit forces to this battle.  We are still recovering from the pounding the Yuuzhan Vong gave us.  We would like to help though, if we can."

"I'm sure will find something for you to do, Admiral," Omas said with a tight smile.

 A small section of the Government Buildings had been set aside for the use of the Jedi.  Many had argued that having the Jedi working out of the very seat of the Galactic Alliance government was offensive, while others proposed rebuilding the Jedi Temple on its ancient site.  

 Harper was being escorted through the labyrinths of the Government Buildings.  The "Jedi Sector," as it had come to be known, was near the foundations of the massive structure.

 "How much further is it," Harper asked.

 "Not far," Harper's escort, Jacen Solo replied, "Patience, Mr. Harper.  We will arrive soon."

 Harper had asked the young Jedi to fill him in on Luke's exploits over the past few years as they walked through the tunnels near the foundations.  Jacen had just finished telling Harper about the Battle of Endor when they finally arrived.

 "So Darth Vader was really Luke's father," Harper cried out in fascination before seeing Luke standing not far off to the right of the largish chamber.

 "That's right Seamus," Luke answered for his nephew with a smile, "Thank you Jacen, that will be all."

            The young Jedi Knight bowed to his master gave Harper a friendly nod and exited the chamber.

            The chamber was obviously some kind of gathering place for the Jedi; the room was large but not so big as to be ostentatious.  Several large draperies hung on the walls inscribed with stylized Basic, the writing system of this galaxy.

            "This chamber," Luke began, noticing Harper's interest "was built out of hope."  Even before the war with the Vong we wouldn't have been able to fill this room.  Now we only have about forty trained Jedi Knights left, and many of those were promoted during the war."

            "There are about seventy students left at the Academy, but most are mere children, including my young son, Ben."

            "I remember you telling me about the Jedi of the Old Republic," Harper responded, "About how they protected people, and brought justice and order to the galaxy."

            "I'm glad to see that you've brought them back, Luke.  Even if you've had some troubles.  But I have to wonder, what does any of this have to do with me?"

            "Do you trust me Harper," Luke asked.

            "Uh sure," he responded uncertainly.

            Luke stretched out his hand and placed it behind Harper's head.  A freaked out look crossed the young engineers face as he recoiled from the gentle touch.

            "Hey Luke," Harper said his hands splayed out before him in a defensive gesture, "I'm not that kind of guy."

            Luke couldn't keep the smile from his face, "It isn't like that Seamus, just trust me, I wont hurt you and I wont violate you."

            Harper simply nodded for Luke to continue.  Placing his hand on the back of Harper's head once again, Luke began to probe Harper's mind for the primitive nub he had discover so long ago.

            A loud woof escaped from Luke and when Harper looked to see what had happened he saw Luke seeming to recover from a solid blow to the chest.

            "What happened," Harper asked with obvious confusion.

            "A simple test Harper," Luke told him, "for those who may be strong on the Force."

            "Excuse me," Harper said in shock.

            "Harper, the Force is strong in you," Luke replied, "and if you are willing, I would like to see you trained as a Jedi."

            Night in the city of Coronet could be a very dangerous place for the unprepared.  The streets of the Corellian Sectors capital city were often filled with thieves and the downtrodden, and other silent victims from years of galactic war.  Aliens from all over the galaxy travelled to Corellia to seek their fortunes on the rich trade routes, many succeeded, most failed and some turned to crime in order to get enough money to return home.

            That is why a half dozen angry Magog when largely un-noticed on the streets of Coronet.

            These Magog had not come to Corellia in search of fortune or a free meal; rather they were hunting.  They had already discovered the wreakage of a Swarmship not far from the city and were now combing the streets in search of their prey.

            "Smell fear," one of the Magog reported to his leader.

            Sniffing the air the lead Magog agreed, "Yes, this way."

            They were getting close now.

            Yu Wang could not have run any faster.  A swarm ship had some how followed him to the Corellian system and in his fear of capture Wang had crashed his ship into the planet.  He had not been seriously injured in the crash and had made his way to the city as fast as he could.

            He knew the Magog were following him, once they caught a sent they could be relentless in pursuit.  The only thing he could do was to stay near the more crowded parts of the city hoping that the Magog would not risk attacking him in public.  He was now travelling through a crowded street bazaar not far from the spaceport.  Treasure Ship Row it was called and while much of the city looked worn down the Row seemed alive with energy. 

            All Wang cared about was that the Row was crowded with hundreds perhaps even thousands of beings from across this galaxy.  If he was fortunate he would be able to evade the Magog and they would lose his scent in the crowd.          

            Fighting his way through the shopkeepers, customers and other less reputable creatures was becoming more and more difficult.  It seemed as though the crowd was closing in around him, making it much harder for him to even move down the street.

            And that was when he saw them.

            Six Magog were driving purposely through the crowd toward him.  Most of the various humans and aliens took no notice of the vicious looking creatures except to get themselves out of the way.  Paralysed by his intense fear, Wang nearly collapsed to the ground but he was prevented from falling by a strangely comforting hand.

            Despite the comfort he felt Wang spun around startled into new action by the new presence.  The owner of the hand easily blocked the clumsy attack Wang mustered.

            "What is it, friend," a soothing yet commanding voice asked.

            "The Magog," Wang breathed in terror and pointed to the group of six frightening creatures approaching.

            "Get behind me," the voice demanded.

            Pushing the terrified Wang behind him this lone man stood to face six Magog alone.  An arc of light flashed from the belt of the man to swing through the first Magog slicing it clean in two at the abdomen.  Like magic the crowd parted around the man leaving only him, Wang and the five remaining Magog.  The Magog arranged themselves around the two humans, wary of the man's light weapon.  The Magog rushed him as one but he was to fast for them, his light weapon blazed through each of the Magog before they new what had hit them.

            The man leaned over Wang, checking for injuries.

            "Are you alright," he asked.

            "Yes," Wang answered quietly as he surveyed the bloody scene around him, "Who are you?"

            "My name is Corran Horn," the man answered.

            "You're a Jedi aren't you?"

            "Yes," Horn responded.

            "I need to speak to someone in your government," Wang told him, "Your galaxy is in grave danger."


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

            The ruins of Coruscant filled the lower field of view on Andromeda's Observation Deck.  It was a transfixing site, a world that had stood as the Capital of a galaxy spanning civilization for more than 20,000 years; twice as long as Tarn-Vedra had served the Commonwealth.  Coruscant was a world whose population had stood in un-numbered billions; a population that was now largely dead, massacred by an invading force whose only goal seemed to be the complete destruction of civilization.

And now it was all going to happen again.

            "Hello Dylan," Rev Bem said turning away from the view.

"Rev," Dylan replied taking up a position beside the only Magog he had ever called friend.

            Looking back out toward the devastation below Rev said, "I was just thinking about…"

            "Time," Dylan finished.

            "How did you know," Rev asked in surprise.

            "Because that is exactly what I have been thinking about, Rev," he responded, "The nature of time.  When we travelled back to the 'Battle of Witch Head' we concluded that time itself was fixed, the events that happened were consistent with history, we were always meant to be there."

            "Of course now here we are again," Rev nodded, "trying to discover if we can indeed change history."

            "Exactly," Dylan replied, "The question that we must ask ourselves, is whether or not it is worth the risk to try."  

            "I don't think you truly understand, my old friend," Rev told him, "In the end you either do change history or you fail to do so, there is no 'try.'"

            "Uh, Dylan," Harper called out quietly as he approached, "Can I talk to you for a minute."

            "Of course Harper," Dylan responded, "What's on your mind."

            Harper looked sheepishly down toward the deck, obviously very nervous about something.

            "Perhaps I should go," Rev offered.

            "No it's ok Rev," Harper told him, "you can stay."

            "What is it Harper," Dylan asked with a little concern.

            "Uh, well, the thing is, well…, here," Harper finally managed handing Dylan a small disk, "Just look at this, its something Luke wanted me to show you."

            "What is it," Dylan asked.

            "Just watch," Harper said as he activated the device.

            A small holoprojection of Master Skywalker appeared on the disk.  It seemed to be looking straight into Dylan's eyes as if looking beyond, into his very heart and mind.

"Captain Hunt," the small recorded message began," I am sorry I was not able to deliver this message to you in person, but I was unavoidably called away.

"When I first met you, all those years ago, I felt there was something special about you and your crew.  I am now convinced that there is something special, but I did not realize at the time how far off I was.  Dylan you and your crew have much yet to do, and many battles yet to fight and it is your peculiar talents that will drive you on.

"There is one among your crew who has the potential to be something even greater then any of you could possible imagine.  Seamus Harper has demonstrated to my satisfaction that he has a power talent in the Force.

"It is no accident that Harper seems to have an amazing gift for mechanics, this is a common trait among many who have latent Force abilities.

"Harper has the ability and he is very strong in the Force and with your permission I would very much like to see him trained as a Jedi."

            The holo faded and Dylan began to stare at Harper.

            "So boss," Harper inquired, "what do ya think?"

            "Harper, I need you here," Dylan began, "You're my chief engineer.  Who will fix the ship if you're gone?"

            "Ah, come on Dylan," Harper responded, "You have a full crew now, and trust me Thompson can handle it."

            "Is this what you really want to do Harper," Dylan asked.

Perhaps for the first time Harper truly stopped to think about that question.  His life for the past few years had been aboard the Andromeda.  The opportunity that Luke provided was far to great for him to pass up.  As a Jedi, Harper could possible be a greater help to Dylan's mission then any one could have imagined.

            "Yes," Harper replied with the full gravity of the answer completely in mind, "Yes I do."

            "Pack your things then Harper," Dylan ordered.

Harper bolted from the Obs deck as fast as he could, heading for the machine shop and his quarters to gather his things.

"Does this mean that you have decided to stay," Rev asked.

            "Yes," Dylan responded quietly," There is only one way to change the future Rev, and that is by doing.  There is no try."

            "I understand," Rev responded.

            "You're going with him aren't you," Dylan asked.

            "Yes, the opportunity is too great to pass up," Rev told him.

            "Take care of him," Dylan said putting his hand on Rev's shoulder.  The Magog priest nodded his ascent and the Andromeda's captain left him alone.

            Rev looked back out over Coruscant.  Just coming over the horizon was one of the enclaves the Galactic Alliance had built, like a small island of hope amidst all the chaos of war and despair.  

Dylan entered the Command Deck with a purposeful stride and took up his station.  All eyes were on the Captain as he stood at his station, anticipating his decision.

"Give me ship-wide," Dylan ordered.

"Ship-wide," Andromeda responded.

"This is the Captain," Dylan began, "We know the future, we know the Magog are coming to our galaxies and we know what that must mean for this galaxy.  Some will tell us that we cannot change history; we can only be a part of history.  Our experiences tell us this is more then likely entirely true.

"This is however, all theory and if there is even a small chance we can defeat the Magog here and now we will have saved billions of lives.  I know the consequences, but I cannot accept that we are here at this pivotal time with out purpose.

"We are staying, we have an opportunity here and we must take it."

Dylan cut the transmission and looked to his crew.  As before, all eyes were on their captain but now with grim determination.  Dylan's gaze came to rest on Tyr Anasazi, but in his eyes there was no grim determination, only a contained rage and a restrained desire to rip his console from its moorings.

"Dylan," Rommie reported, "Harper's transport is ready to depart." "Clear them," Dylan ordered, "And then prepare the docking bays for Galactic Alliance technicians, our new communication and sensor suits are waiting."

 "Aye sir," Rommie responded. "Once they are installed we'll join the Alliance fleet gathering to assault Saccoria."

"Captain Hunt," Tyr's voice boomed out behind Dylan causing him to come up short in his walk down the corridor.  Letting out a very heavy sigh, Dylan turned slowly around to face his Nietzschean friend.  

"Tyr," Dylan responded, "What can I do for you?"

            "You can explain to me why we are wasting our time on this DOOMED galaxy, when the Know Worlds still have a chance of being saved," Tyr demanded, "We know the Magog defeat this 'Galactic Alliance,' it is the only explanation that makes any logical sense.  The Magog destroy everything they touch."

            "Yes Tyr," Dylan replied coolly, "The Magog do destroy everything they touch, and every cell in my body is screaming at me to find a way to get Andromeda back home.  But there is something about this place, you must feel it Tyr, though you have no doubt convinced yourself it isn't there.  An energy, a power I don't think we'll ever understand."

            "Is that why you sent Harper off to follow the path of the delusional zealot, Skywalker," Tyr asked.

            "That is certainly one way to put it," Dylan remarked with a slight smile, "Tyr, you know the math doesn't entirely rule me out, we could establish a parallel timeline or change history all together."

            "If it were that easy, Captain," Tyr called out as he turned his back on Dylan, "You would have found a way at the battle of Witch Head."

            Space and time unfolded before the Andromeda Ascendant as she hurled herself from the otherworldly realm of Slipstream into the Duros star system.  The Andromeda's new sensors reached out through space and began to detect instantly the hundreds of Galactic Alliance ships gathering in orbit of the industrialized world.  

            The Yuuzhan Vong had tried to Vongaform the planet to suit there needs, but the scale of pollution and planetary rot had held back the process leaving the planet much the same as it had been prior to the invasion.  This world would be the launching point for the Alliance's first counter-strike against the Magog invasion.

            "I'm detecting over three hundred Alliance capital ships," Rommie reported, "And thousand of starfighters.  It is quite an Armada."

            "Let's hope it's enough," Tyr snipped.

            "Count on Tyr for boundless optimism," Beka countered.

            "Don't forget that nearly every time we have faced the Magog, it has been an unmitigated disaster," Tyr responded.

            "We didn't have three hundred excessively armed warships those times," Dylan interjected.

            "Yes and we know nothing about those warships, or there particular loyalties," Tyr responded, "I would not place too much faith in them."

            "Good advice, Tyr.  I'll keep it in mind.

            "Dylan, we are receiving a transmission from the Alliance fleet," Trance reported, "Admirals Pellaeon, Meduk and Sovv, wish to speak to you."

            "On screen," Dylan said and the images of the three Admirals appeared on the monitors, "This is the Andromeda Ascendant, requesting permission to join the fleet."

            "Permission granted, Captain," Admiral Sovv responded, "we are glad to have you here.  I trust your new communication and sensor suites are working to your satisfaction."

            "Our slipstream drive seems to be interfering with our sensors," Dylan reported, "But it doesn't seam to be overly damaging."

            "Good," Meduk replied, "Captain, you'll be with Admiral Pellaeon and myself on the first wave."

            "I look forward to fight beside you Captain," Pellaeon told them.

            "We'll see you on the firing line Admirals."


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

            Harper found the fantastic bright swirl of hyperspace truly mesmerizing as he stared out the viewport in the transport shuttles passenger compartment.  He had not said a single word to anyone in several hours, not since pulling out of their last stop over on world whose name he couldn't even pronounce.  Behind him Rev Bem sat quietly meditating, Harper glanced back at his old friend remembering how menacing he seemed back when they first meet all those years ago on the Maru.  Try as he might, Harper could not think of anyone he would rather have with him now on this particular journey.

            In the cockpit the Jedi, Jacen Solo was piloting the craft, and old Imperial shuttle to their destination- the Kessel Maw.

            During the transit, Jacen had told them much about the recent war with the terrible race known as the Yuuzhan Vong, how they had taken control of much of this galaxy, persecuted the Jedi and tried to purge the galaxy of everything they saw as abominations, particularly technology.  Try as he might, Harper could not imagine an entire civilization that only used living organisms for everything from carpeting to spacecraft.

            "Excuse me gentlemen," Jacen's voice called out over the intercom, "But we will be arriving in the Kessel System in a few moments, if you would like to join me in the cockpit."

            "This should be a sight to see," Rev said gruffly as he pulled himself out of his cross-legged position.

            "It's made up of black holes Rev," Harper replied, "we haven't exactly had good luck with black holes in the past."

            "Perhaps, but it is where your path leads Harper," Rev told him, "And only you can walk it."

            Harper nodded back at his friend as though he actually understood though he felt as confused as ever as he stepped into the shuttle's cockpit.

            Out the forward viewport the swirl of hyperspace continued but in the distance a growing blot, like a dark stain against the bright blue/white vortex.

            "What is that," Harper asked.

            "Gravity shadow," Jacen replied, "The Maw produces so much gravitation interference in hyperspace that it actually distorts it."

            "Great," Harper said as he took his seat, "they even have an appetite in parallel dimensions."

            "Existing hyperspace in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1..," Jacen told them and the swirl became star-lines and star-lines became stars, but the dark distorted stain remained.

            "Welcome to the Kessel Maw," Jacen announced.

            "It's marvelous," Rev declared as he watched the strange glow of the competing singularities.

            "We're going into that," was Harper's equally emphatic response.

            "Of course Seamus, it is the most secure facility, probably in the universe," Jacen told him, "Only Jedi and a few others can find the way in between the singularities.  A perfect place to hide from the Vong, and the Magog too."

            "I wouldn't be so sure," Harper replied.

            "I'm afraid the Magog use singularities as weapons," Rev explained, "at least they do in our time."

            "Well," Jacen replied with concern, "I guess will have to deal with that Death Star when we find it.  Strap yourselves in we enter in Maw in twelve seconds."

            "Just relax," Corran Horn told him, "The Jedi Council is a surprisingly relaxed group of people, at least when there in those walls."

            "I'll try," a very tired and distraught looking Yu Wang replied.  After arriving on Coruscant it took all of Corran's influence to keep the former Commonwealth engineer out of the hands of Alliance Intelligence.  However, a quick conversation with Luke was all it took to arrange this meeting of the Jedi Council.

            A few moments later the Jedi Master Kyp Durron came out of the council room to greet them.  The youngish looking Jedi Master exchange a simple Jedi nod with the older Jedi Horn, "Thank you for coming gentlemen.  The Council is ready for you."

            Leading the two into the council room Kyp took his place among the council.  At the head of the council was Luke Skywalker; the first Jedi of the new Jedi Order, and beside him sat Cal Omas, the Chief-of-State of the Galactic Alliance.  Unlike the Jedi Council of the Old Republic this council combined members of the government with the chosen members of the Jedi Order.

            Corran and Wang took a standing position before Luke and Cal Omas.

            "Welcome, Yu Wang.  I am Luke Skywalker and I'm told you have something to tell us."

            With a nod of encouragement from Corran, Wang began to speak, "Thirty years ago, I was part of the engineering team that was sent by the Commonwealth to convert the Imperial starship Running into a slipstream capable craft.  I was taken back to this galaxy by Lord Krell.

            "He forced myself and the few other engineers to build ships for him and terrible devices," he told them, "We helped him redesign a Worldship."

            Wang continued telling them about the years of torture and Krell's obsessive search for the missing link in the Magog genetic structure, the Yuuzhan Vong.  He told them who he spent years studying the structure of black holes under Krell's direction as they built something he called 'the Accelerator.'  

            He told them about the day Krell stepped into the Accelerator and came out changed as though he had drawn on the power of the Black Hole at the center of the galaxy.

            "It was the most terrible thing I had ever seen," Wang told them, "I was in the control room, safe from what was to come.  He did something, the room became a blur, and the Yuuzhan Vong and the other creatures he had gathered over the years seemed to meld.  Most of them died, lumps of horrid burned flesh and gristle.

            "A handful of Magog were born that day and they multiplied, by infesting the scientist and engineers who were on the floor."

            "And Krell," Omas demanded, "What happened to Krell."

            "He changed," Wang tried to explain; "It was as though he had draw to much power into himself.  He began to blister and glow, but darkly."

            "I'm not sure I understand," Luke interrupted.

            "I've never seen it before, I've only heard it described mostly in whispers," Wang told them, "but I'm sure, I'm so absolutely certain.  Darth Krell is the Spirit of the Abyss."

            Of those gathered there only Luke seemed to understand the full gravity of what Wang had told them.  Cal Omas leaned over to Luke to speak quietly to him, but it was clear the Jedi Master was lost in his own world.

            A few heartbeats passed without a word from any of the Council members and the concern grew on the face of the councils leading member.  Finally Luke could stand it no longer and he left the chamber without a word.

            "I am afraid I don't understand," Omas announced, "What is the Spirit of the Abyss?"

            "He is the 'god' of the Magog," Wang replied, "He guides them drives them and in truth he created them."

            "And your saying that this Spirit of the Abyss, the same one who will lead the invasion of your galaxies thousands of years from now is a Sith lord from this time and this galaxy," Kyp asked.

            "Yes," Wang replied, "I believe he is."

            "I think we are in a lot of trouble," Corran announced.

            "I' am afraid I agree," the Chief-of State responded.

The Andromeda exited slipstream at the edge of the Saccoria system along with the first wave of Galactic Alliance forces.  Over one hundred ships, mostly from the old New Republic's Defense Fleet and all under the command of Tealera Meduk, exited hyperspace around her.       

            Massive carriers began to disgorge starfighters as the warships of the Alliance took up battle positions.

            Andromeda's new sensors detected the arrival of the second wave nearly two AU out.  That force was made up of mostly Imperial ships and was commanded by Admiral Pellaeon himself.

            "Launch fighters," Dylan ordered.

            "Launching slipfighters," Rommie responded.

            "We are receiving orders from Admiral Meduk," Trance reported, "All craft are to proceed with the battle, engage at will."

            "Very well," Dylan replied, "Let's bring it."

            "We've got launches from the planet surface," Rommie reported, "Over one thousand Magog swarmships."

            "That's a lot," Beka noted.

            "Yes and it's our job to take them out," Dylan replied, "Load offensive missiles, tubes one through forty, defensive missiles tubes forty-one through sixty."

            "Missile tubes ready," Tyr responded, "Enemy ships are in range."

            "Hold fire," Dylan ordered.

            "Holding," Tyr acknowledged, "though I cannot conceive why."

            The Magog force continued to gather strength in orbit of Saccoria.  Hundreds of thousands of Magog were crowded into those craft, many newly born from the millions of Saccorians who had been taken as hosts.

            "The Magog fleet is leaving orbit of Saccoria," Rommie reported, "They are coming out to meet us."

            "Good," Dylan replied, "very good."

            "Your mad of course," Tyr told him plainly, "having a Magog swarm coming for you can never be a good thing, no matter the plan."

            "He raises a good point," Beka added.

"Normally I'd agree with you," Dylan replied, "But not today."

            "The third taskforce has exited hyperspace," Rommie reported, "The Magog are surrounded.  Admiral Sovv sends his regards."

            "Excellent," Dylan said, "Tyr open fire."

            "Gladly," the Nietzschean growled.

            The Andromeda began to loose wave upon wave of destruction as it targeted the small Magog craft.  The rest of the fleet soon followed suit as the swarm entered the range of their powerful turbolaser weapons.

            "The Magog are scattering," Tyr reported, "they are trying to break out of the bubble." 

            "Get me Commander Se Dong," Dylan ordered, referring to the Nietzschean leader of Andromeda's fighter wing.

            "Se Dong here," the pilot called over the comm.

            "Khaing," Dylan replied, "the Magog are trying to break out in between the two forward battle groups.  I need you to take them out."

            "Yes sir," the Nietzschean replied as he broke the channel.

            "The Magog are being pushed back into the kill zone," Rommie reported casually.

            "Excellent," Dylan replied with a slight smile.  She does enjoy being a warship, he thought to himself.

            "Dylan," the video version of Andromeda said as she appeared on the forward monitor, "We are receiving new orders from fleet command.

            "We are to proceed with phase two immediately."

            "Really," Dylan responded with surprise, "the battle must be going better then I thought."

            "All ships have reported in," Andromeda announced.

            "Beka set a course for the planet, all ahead full," Dylan ordered.

            A quiet knock on the doorframe was all it took to knock Luke out of his reverie.  Though one must suggest that the person doing the knocking might have something to do with that.

            "Hello Luke," Mara said.

            Looking up at his wife, her long flowing red hair pulled back into a tight ponytail and look of barely concealed concern were the first thing the Jedi Master noticed.

            "Hello Mara," Luke returned, "I take it you've heard."

            "I heard you were sulking in our quarters for the past few hours."

            "Not sulking," Luke told her, "Considering."

            "Considering what exactly," she asked gently.

            "The Abyss," he replied with a slight quiver.

            "You mean Krell," Mara corrected.

            "No I don't," Luke told her, "Wang was right, I can feel it.  Darth Krell and the Spirit of the Abyss are the one and the same."

            "Luke it's not possible.  Wang comes from a world that is thousands of years in our future.  Krell could not have survived that long."

            "Mara, it is true," he said gently but with no mistake, "And I must face him."

            "Look farmboy," Mara retorted forcefully, "You're supposed to be beyond this whole destiny complex thing.  Luke Skywalker does not have to save the galaxy from every crisis."

            "No," he returned, "but I must face this one."

            "Fine," she told him, "If you're going off to face this dark lord/spirit whatever, I'm going with you."

            "NO," Luke said with a fire that surprised even him," You will not."

            Mara regarded her husband with shock at the power of his demand.  Luke was never harsh, not with her at least.

            "If you go Mara," Luke told her gently, "you will die.  I have foreseen it."

            "What if you don't come back," Mara retorted, her own emotions beginning over ride her Jedi control.

            "Then at least our son will have his mother," was all Luke could say.

            Knowing she could have no response to that he pulled her into a tight embrace letting his emotions flow over her and drawing strength from the inexhaustible pool of her strength.

            "I love you Mara," Luke told her quietly.

            "But you have to go," Mara said with more understanding then she truly felt, "Come back to us Jedi Master."

            "I will.  I promise."

            An odd assortment of rock and prefab construction made up the space station that housed the Jedi Academy.  In some ways it reminded Harper of Winnipeg Drift or even Candu Station.

            Jacen was clearly an expert at traveling the gravity null paths through the Maw and while the ride was bumpy Harper was surprised that he never felt himself to be in any danger.

            "Three minutes and thirty-eight seconds," Jacen was saying to himself, "Beat you by three ticks Jaina."

            "What was that," Harper asked.

            "My sister Jaina," Jacen explained, "She was a pilot in an elite squadron during the war.  Her best time through the Maw was three seconds slower then what we just did."

            "Wow and she's a Jedi too," Harper asked.

            "One of the best," Jacen replied.

            "This is incredible," Rev Bem growled, "A completely stable zone in the middle of a black hole cluster."

            "Indeed," Jacen replied, "Legend has it that some ancient and powerful race built the Maw for its own purposes.  No one has been quite able to work out a model for how something like this could occur naturally, so basically that legend is as good as any theory."

            A few moments later Jacen received his landing instructions and put the shuttle down in the main hanger of the installation.

            The three passengers gathered themselves up and prepared to leave the shuttle.  Walking down the boarding ramp Harper noticed a tall powerful looking Jedi in dark robes.

            "Master Kam Solusar," Jacen began, "May I present Brother Behemial Far-Traveler a follower of the Way, and Seamus Zelasny Harper, our new initiate."

            "Welcome to you both," Kam replied, "Mr. Harper, some of our apprentices will unload your belongings.  Your training begins in the morning.

            "I hope you are ready."

            "Oh, I'm ready," Harper replied with nervous excitement.

            "We shall see." Kam returned.

            "Brother Far-Traveler has request the opportunity to study the history and philosophy of the Jedi order," Jacen told the elder Jedi, "To better his understanding of the Way and how we might fit with it."

            "Please, call me Rev Bem," Rev told them, "such formality is not needed, and I have grown quite accustomed to the nickname.

            "I would be honoured if you would grant me the opportunity of studying your beliefs and I offer myself to anyone who wishes to better understand mine."

            "A generous offer," Kam returned with a smile, "My wife Tionne is the our current keeper of Jedi lore and the Academy's chief librarian.

            "I believe she would be most glad to help you learn all that you can about the Jedi, the Force and whatever else we can help you with."

            "It is you who is being so generous," Rev replied.

            "Jacen, if could please show Seamus and Rev Bem to their rooms," Kam asked, "Mr. Harper is going to need a lot of sleep tonight."

The orbital path to Saccoria was littered with Magog ships, some only debris but most still working and quite dangerous warships.  The Galactic Alliance had corralled the majority of the Magog fleet at a distance several million kilometers beyond the planets only moon, Sarcophagus.

This meant that the Andromeda Ascendant entered orbit of Saccoria not challenged by hundreds of Magog vessels but only by the few remaining ships that stayed to defend the planet.

"Mr. Anasazi," Dylan began, "would you do me the honour of clearing my sky."

"With pleasure," Tyr replied.

The small swarm of Magog vessels guarding this part of the planet, perhaps twenty ships in total was quickly destroyed the heavy barrage of missile fire.

"Nice work Tyr," Dylan praised.

"No further swarm ships are coming to greet us," Rommie reported.

"Send word to the fleet," Dylan ordered, "We're ready."

A few moments latter, with a flicker of pseudomotion, a small force of Alliance ships exited hyperspace.  The force, consisting of ten ships, included two of the large Imperial Star Destroyers and eight large troop transport vessels.

"This is Captain Dayvid Kelar of the Star Destroyer Viscount," a familiar voice called out over the new subspace radio, "Andromeda Ascendant, we are ready to begin."

"Acknowledged Captain," Dylan replied, "You may begin landing your troops when ready."

"Understood," came the reply.

"I can't believe we're trying to take a planet from the Magog," Beka announced, "its kind of scary/cool.  You know what I mean."

"We aren't taking this planet, we're just trying to secure it so we can save what's left of the population," Dylan reminded her, "which reminds me, are the 'Lads' ready."

"Ready and eager," Rommie reported.

"Launch planetary warfare 'bots," Dylan ordered.

"'Bots away," Rommie replied, "Wait, Dylan, I'm detecting multiple slipstream events in the outer system.  A new Magog fleet has arrived, and Dylan they have a world ship."

"What," Dylan exclaimed, "let me see."

A tactical display appeared on the forward screens showing a large new swarm and much less expansive world ship.

"There are at least four hundred more swarmships," Rommie told them, "And that world ship has three planets arranged around an artificial star and held together by artificial gravity."

"Dylan they're firing point singularity weapons," Trance called out.

"She's right," Andromeda confirmed.

"Get me Meduk," Dylan demanded, "Now."

"It's to late," Beka said turning away from the display.

            "We can't get through to the Griffon," Trance reported, "But at least forty ships have been destroyed.  Admiral Sovv is ordering a full retreat."

            "Recall all landing craft," Dylan ordered, "Set course for the Duros rendezvous point.

            "It's never easy."


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

            A loud throbbing filled his mind like some ancient and powerful tribal drum of the ancient Sith Lords.  Days had past since the battle at Saccoria where the Magog had dealt a brutal blow the forces of the Galactic Alliance sending them scurrying back to the artificial safety of their fortress worlds.  They had not anticipated the arrival of his Worldship and it's powerful singularity weapons.  They did not expect him to reveal his power, greater then any power Vader or the Emperor had displayed, greater then any Jedi or Sith had ever known.

            He was no longer human, he did not know what he was, not yet.  His power was so tangible yet so distant as though he no longer existed entirely in the world he could see.  He felt that the universe was larger then he could ever have dreamed, filled with dimensions and subtleties he could not yet explain.

            The power of the Abyss filled him, more power then he could of understood or controlled through the limits of the Force.

            The Spirit of the Abyss, that is what he had become, this he did understand.  Darth Krell no longer existed, there was nothing left of that Sith Lord but a name barely remembered, and memories just beyond reach.

            The battle had weakened him, he realized, that is why his mind was filled with such thoughts.  These efforts always took their toll, his concentration slipped, he felt himself falling deeper into the Abyss as he tried to gather strength. 

            A voice was needed, one to call out into the depths of space to guide his Harbingers in battle and to focus them on his aims to reshape this universe in his image.

            Grounding himself firmly in this reality, the Spirit of the Abyss called out to one of his Harbingers, one of the Magog.

            The beast hurled himself into the presence of his master, a hunched creature, feral in every sense of the word, but molded perfectly to carry out its most powerful biological imperatives, to kill and eat sentient beings or use them as hosts for its progeny.

            Such was its creation, the purpose of its existence and that would not be denied it, but the Abyss required more from this one.  It would become a leader, an officer of the Abyss.  All of the Harbingers would fear him and his progeny and serve them in the name of the Abyss for all time.

            The power of the Abyss filled the lone Magog, and the Spirit could see a great intelligence fill the once weak but cleaver eyes.  The creatures back straightened and its feral nature was blunted, though not removed.

            "I honour you master," the lone Harbinger cried, "I shall call myself Death Knell as a pale shadow of your former name.  And I shall guide your Harbingers in all the ways you direct."

            Beka guided the Andromeda through the maze of quantum strings that made up the other worldly dimension of Slipstream.  The retreat from Saccoria and then from Duros had taken a great physical toll on the Andromeda's best pilot and first officer but she refused to give up the Pilot's Station.

            The flight from Saccoria had been the most difficult as Andromeda tried to dodge hundreds of Swarmships that had followed them into the 'stream.  Just as they had lost the last of the Swarm the Andromeda arrived in the Duros System.

            Unfortunately the Magog had already arrived.

            The Andromeda had been able to avoid the main body of the Magog force but hundreds of Alliance ships were not so lucky.

            "Welcome to Coruscant," Beka called out as the ship reverted from the 'stream.

            "Thank you Beka," Dylan replied, "now get of my Command Deck and go get some rest."

            "Fine, I'm going," she told them as she stepped down from the Pilot's Station, "But I'm not promising I'll get any sleep."

            "Dylan," Trance reported, "We've got a message coming from Cal Omas."

            "Put it through," he ordered.

            The image of the Galactic Alliance's leader filled the central view screen.

            "Captain Hunt," Omas began, "I am happy to see you and your crew have survived.  I afraid that much of the fleet was not so fortunate.  

            "Only twenty percent of the fleet survived to report to Alliance bases.  The Magog have occupied the Duros system and are right now scattered across the galaxy striking out against any ship they can find."

            "I am terribly sorry sir," Dylan replied.

            "Thank you Captain," the Chief-of-State returned, "Admiral Pellaeon is attempting to muster as many ships as he can for a counter-attack.  Admiral Sovv has already returned, he sends his thanks to you and your crew as well."

            "What of Admiral Meduk," Dylan asked.

            "She suffered life threatening injuries while attempting to escape her Star Destroyer, the Griffon.

            "She has already spent a great deal of time in a Bacta Tank, though her injuries were quite severe."

            "I see," Dylan returned.

            "Captain," Omas continued, "We will be holding a meeting of the Defense Security Council in a few hours, I'd like you to attend."

            "I'll be there sir," Dylan told him

            With a simple nod Omas signed off.

            "You should tell him that we are leaving," Tyr declared as he approached Dylan, "This is not our time and not our War."

            "Tyr," Dylan began, "you know that there is a chance that what we do here could change the future.  I know its small and everything we have experienced goes against it, but we have to try."

            "NO Captain," Tyr bit back, "We do not, for all we know our actions here perpetuate the future.  We could be sending the Magog on their rampage across the universe.

            "Why, that would make the fall of the Commonwealth your fault, wouldn't it."

            "Yes, Dylan replied, "I have considered that.

            For a moment Tyr was at a complete loss for words but he recovered quickly.

            "Dylan, take this ship back to its own time.  We have our own threats to deal with.  There is no future for this galaxy, there may be one for ours."

            "I'll consider it Tyr," Dylan replied quietly, "But for now I have a meeting to attend."

            Admiral Sovv completed his report to the council on the utter debacle that was the battle of and retreat from Saccoria.

            "The Magog appear to have technology for more dangerous then we had ever imagined."

            "Captain Hunt," Cal Omas called out, "Do you have anything to add?"

            "The weapons they used are called Point-Singularity Projectors," Dylan informed them, "In my time only a very few Magog ships were equipped with them along with the World ship that later joined the battle.

            "This still seems to be the case as only a handful of the Swarmships fired PSP's at the fleet.  I must add that this battle was fought with far more tactical ingenuity then I have previously seen from the Magog.  Their tactics have always been very simplistic and direct."

            "How do you account for this Captain," Omas asked.

            "They knew we would come," Dylan replied, "They prepared for it, and they executed their plan.  The Magog are an intelligent species, as my close friend and confidant Rev Bem can attest, but they are also single-minded in their natural state, this battle plan was likely directed from above."

            "By the Spirit of the Abyss perhaps," Omas suggested.

            "That seems likely," Dylan said with some confusion, "You know of the Abyss?"

            "I'll fill you in on all the details later Captain," Omas told him, "But yes we know of the Abyss."

            "As per your early recommendation, prior to the battle we will be detaching our fleets into smaller units," Sovv began, "Task force size groups and medium sized flotillas will roam the galaxy seeking out Magog fleets.

            "Ours will be a policy of containment," the admiral reported, "We will do our best to keep the Magog bottled up until we can find a way to beat them."

            "He was a Fleet Engineer," Dylan spoke quietly sitting in a comfortable seat in the Chief-of-State's office, "assigned to the Imperial corvette Running.  We had an arrangement with them, to provide slipstream technology in exchange for communications  systems and sensor technology."

            "But you left him behind," Omas returned.

            "No," Dylan told him, "of course we wanted to go back for him, all of them.  We couldn't.  We had assumed they had all been killed in our final battle with the Imperial forces."

            "Well he survived Dylan," Omas reported, "and they succeeded in equipping the Running with your slipstream technology.  They escaped to the Core of this galaxy where Yu Wang and the others were forced to work for Darth Krell."  
            "Krell lead the invasion of our galaxies," Dylan remembered.

            "Yes," Omas replied, "And he used Wang and the others to create his own version of the Magog and to transform himself into the 'Spirit of the Abyss.'"

            "NO," Dylan cried out, throwing his body from his seat and nearly slamming himself on to Omas' desk, "That can not be true; it's impossible."

            "That is his report Captain," Omas responded quietly."

            "I would like to see him," a much calmer Dylan requested.  
            "I am sure we can arrange that."

            Dylan entered the outer room of Wang's Coruscant apartment feeling smaller then he had felt in a long long time.  The Jedi had provided these rooms for the former Commonwealth engineer, they seemed comfortable if a little Spartan, but he had come to expect that from Jedi.

            "Captain Hunt," Wang greeted him quietly, "Welcome."

            "Thank you Yu," Dylan replied, "But as I understand it thirty years have past for you, so call me Dylan."

            "I'm not sure I could be comfortable with that kind of familiarity, sir," Wang told him.

            "I understand," he replied.

            "You have hardly changed," Wang told him, "Still the same daring Captain who restored the Commonwealth.  You probably don't even remember me."

            "Not true," Dylan told him, "I remember, I burned your image and those of your team into my brain the moment we returned from battle.

            "We thought you were lost," Dylan continued, "We are glad to see you survived."

            "I am the last one Captain," Wang, "the rest of us were killed in Krell's little projects.  The last of them were murdered by the Magog when Krell became the Abyss."

            "Your certain that Krell is the Spirit of the Abyss," Dylan demanded gently."

            "There is no doubt in my mind," Wang replied.

            "I see," Dylan responded suddenly at a loss for words.

            "Sir, if you came here seeking forgiveness, I can not yet give it," Wang told him, "Far too much has happened in these thirty years.  I have seen things I could never have imagined and can not forget.  My memories are seared with horrors beyond telling.

            "Perhaps in time I can forgive," he concluded, "But not yet."

            "I understand," Dylan replied with a discernable tremble in his voice, "I have to go now, perhaps we will speak again."

            "Perhaps, Sir," Wang replied, "Good day."

The battered frame of the galaxies most famous freighter filled its own private docking port not far from the seat of government for the Galactic Alliance.  The Millennium Falcon had spent the last few months undergoing a large scale rebuild, only the second in its long history, and was now in better condition then at the beginning of the Yuuzhan Vong War.

            Han had decided to leave his beloved starship the stealthy black colour he had painted it during those hard years, but he added a new coat of gloss to the ship giving it a new shine.

            "She look great Han," Luke told his old friend as he ran his hand over the new finish, "Practically a new ship."

            "It's taken a long time to get it done right," Han replied, "Just the way Chewie would have liked it.

            "I've got the hyperdrive tweaked out better then ever, new sensors and I even managed to squeeze a couple of extra concussion missiles in for the forward launchers."

            "That's great Han," Luke said, "This ship may yet outlast you."

            "It better," Han returned, "But not if my old friends keeping coming around to borrow her for suicide missions."

            "How did you guess," Luke asked.

            "It's combination of factors," Han told him, "but mostly the jovial attitude combined with a sincere expression."

            "So can I borrow the ship," Luke asked simply.

            "That all depends," Han replied, "On where your, or should I say 'we're' takin' her."

            "The Maw," Luke began, "And then the Deep Core."

            "The Core," Han stepped back in surprise hitting his head on one of the landing struts, "Luke you can't be serious."

            "It is where I have to go," Luke told him honestly, "I can't ask you to come with me." 

            "It's my ship" Han replied with resignation, "I go where it goes."

            "Thanks Han."

            "I would like to go as well," Yu Wang called out from the entrance to the docking port.  Both Luke and Han turned to see the former Commonwealth engineer and long time prisoner of the Abyss as he approached.

            "I am afraid you will need my help  if you want to find the Abyss," Wang told them, "I have been there, I know the facility and I can get you there safely."

            "He's right," Corran Horn replied as he stepped up behind Wang, "And I'm coming along too."

            "Corran, I don't want you to come," Luke told his Jedi friend.

            "I know Luke," Horn replied, "That's why I'm going."


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

            If only one thing in all the universe could be said about Lando Calrissian it would be that no matter the circumstances, he always managed to look dashing.  Even while his world was crashing down around him Lando still did his best to look good.

            With his ever present cape and charming smile Lando walked into Princess Leia Organa Solo's private apartment.

            "Hello Leia," the old pirate called out as he entered the living area to see the Princess reading a data pad.

            "Lando," Leia beamed as she hauled herself out of her comfortable seat to greet he long time friend with a great hug, "It's good to see you again."

            "Thank you," he replied still smiling but then became more serious, "Did you receive my message."

            "Of course," she told him, matching his seriousness but with an added note of concern, "Are you sure this is what you want to do."

            "Yes," Lando replied quietly, "The Vong took everything from me that wasn't tied down, and now that I've managed to rebuild yet again I'll be damned if I let the Magog do the same thing."

            "All right then," Leia said, "Then lets go see Cal Omas."

            The pair walked quietly through the halls of the new capital buildings, toward the offices of the Chief-of-State.  The corridors were long and winding and very modern looking but also inviting, not at all like the pretentiousness of the Old Republic buildings or the austere and blockish style favoured by the Empire.  This was the more relaxed but still very official style of the new Galactic Alliance.

            A few windows looked out on the much changed planet scape of Coruscant, the world the Yuuzhan Vong had conquered and called Yuuzhan'tar.  Much of the planet still had the feeling of the alien world and indeed a compromise was still being struck with the Vong's world brain which still occupied the home of the old Senate.

            "I'm surprised to see so much work going into establishing the government here on Coruscant, I though the Alliance was going to headquartered on Denon for the next couple of decades," Lando commented.

            "It will be," Leia told him, "But the Denonite government has been stalling for months on the construction of the Senate chambers.  Mon Cal has been the provisional capital for so long now that a few more months won't hurt them.

            "Cal has been working out of Coruscant along with the military staff primarily to establish the Galactic Alliance as the legitimate government for the galaxy.  I think he plans to open the first session of next meeting to the Senate here to further that goal."

            "Really," Lando replied, "I guess you have to show 'em who's in charge."

            "How's the war going," Lando asked.

            "Badly," Leia told him," The fleet is scattered across the galaxy hunting down smallish raiding parties of Magog ships, but with the fleet already hunting down left over Yuuzhan Vong ships, resources are tight."

            A few moments later the pair arrived in Omas' spacious office, a single long window dominated the far wall looking out over the massive rebuilding efforts on the ancient Capital planet.

            "Baron Calrissian," the Alliance Chief-of State welcomed former smuggler, Pirate and semi-respectable business man, "It is very agreeable to see you again."

            "Thank you excellency," Lando replied taking the seat that Omas was indicating in front of his desk and Leia sat down beside him.

            "Leia," Omas continued, "I understand your husband and brother have gone off on yet another little adventure."

            "Yes they have Cal," Leia replied, "One we hope will end this new war quickly."

            "Of course," Omas said looking at Calrissian, "A hero's work is never done I suppose."

            "I think you have anticipated me, Excellency," Lando said flashing his famous smile, "I've come to request the reactivation of my commission."

            "You hardly need come to me to make that request, Baron," Omas returned, "Any one of the Defense Command higher ups could easily have served that purpose."

            "Yes sir," Lando replied, "but having the leader of the free worlds restoring your commission seemed like a much better idea."

            "I see," Omas replied, "What about your War Droid production facilities?  Who will run those while you're off saving the galaxy?"

            "My wife, Tendra, is more than capable of running the family business, "Lando told him.

            "Very well, General," Omas told him, "Consider your commission active.

            "As it so happens I have the perfect mission for you.  Tell me General Calrissian have you met Captain Dylan Hunt."

            Rev Bem watched quietly as Harper put himself through the grueling challenges of Jedi training.  He lifted one coarse furred and massively clawed hand to gently stroke his leathery chin.

            Harper had been here at the Jedi Academy for several weeks now, and from all reports he had progressed rapidly through his training.  It seemed that no matter how scattered Harper was during his regular routine, Jedi training managed to focus all of his mental resources.

            The hard bitten Jedi Master Kam Solusar demanded nothing less from his newest apprentice.  Master Solusar seemed to be concentrating most of his efforts on this young Jedi hopeful, even to the point of ignoring his other students.  Under this watchful eye Harper seemed to have leaped ahead in his training and was fast becoming a powerful student.

            "He pushes him too fast; too hard," a gentle female voice rang out almost before Rev could detect the faint flowery scent of the speaker.

            "I agree," the Wayist Monk replied to bard Jedi.

            "My husband is often very demanding on older students," Tionne told him, "But I have rarely seen him push so hard and for so long.

            "I asked him about it the other day," she continued, "he told me that he feels a powerful sense of urgency in his training.  The Force is nudging him forward, and Seamus has been taking well to the instruction."

            "Does he know why the Force has been so insistent," Rev asked.

            "No," Tionne admitted, "But Seamus has already surpassed many more advanced students.  He is however still to adventuresome and lacks confidence, it limits him."

            "I see," Rev replied.

            "I almost forgot why I went looking for you," Tionne told him with slight embarrassment, "I located some files you might find interesting.  A few very old texts on Jedi philosophy particularly concerning the nature of the Force."

Sitting cross-legged on the floor of his private quarters Harper was trying desperately to find the same focus he had that afternoon while training with Master Solusar.

A simple spanner lay on the floor in front of him, but no matter how hard he tried the ability to levitate it escaped him.

"Come on," Harper cried out in frustration, "I know I can do this."

"Do what exactly," a growling yet kind voice spoke quietly to him.

"Oh hey Rev," Harper replied dejected, "I'm having some problems, I just can't seem to focus when Master Kam isn't around."

Rev sat down beside him and pulled himself into the meditation position of the Wayists.  When he was comfortable he looked at his young friend with his piercing Magog eyes.

"Let me tell you what I have decided about the Force, and the Divine," Rev said to him, "The Wayists believe that the Divine is in all things, that it touches all life and that all that exists springs from "Its' original purpose.  The Jedi believe much the same thing.

"The Yuuzhan Vong were stripped along time ago from the use of the Force, they became a society separated from the Force.  I believe the Magog may have a similar flaw to their creation.  They were not stripped from the Force, but they were created in a way that is not consistent with the rest of the universe."

"What are you saying Rev," Harper asked with obvious confusion, "I am saying that the Magog are an Abomination.  Harper, the Magog are not a natural part of this universe or any other, they do not belong."

"What about you Rev," Harper demanded, "You're a Wayist, a servant of the Divine, does that mean you're an Abomination too?"

"Yes," Rev replied, "But what I have learned about the Force and what it has taught me about the Divine is that no matter what the nature of our creation may be, the Divine still guides all things.  We cannot escape the will of the Divine or the Force for they are one."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Harper declared, "And now I'm more confused than I was before."

"Than repeat after me," Rev told him, "My pain belongs to the Divine.  It is like the air; it is like the water.

"My pain belongs to the Divine…," Harper repeated the chant that Rev had taught him so long ago.  The simple words and their cleansing power filled him and brought his mind into sharp focus.

In front of him the spanner lifted from the floor and began to dance around the room.

The Millennium Falcon settled gently on the deck of the main hanger of the Jedi's hidden Academy.  Many students had gathered to greet the famous and familiar vessel though few anticipated that Luke Skywalker would be the first to exit the ship.

"Master Skywalker," Kam called out with a rare broad smile, "Welcome back."

"Thank you Kam," Luke replied as the others aboard began to file down the ramp with Han himself taking up the rear.

"Corran; Captain Solo," Kam greeted, "It's good to see the two of you again."

"You to Kam," Han responded.

"Kam," Luke announced, "This is Yu Wang, formerly an engineer from the Commonwealth.."

"A pleasure," Kam replied.

"Is Mara not with you," Kam asked as he led the group through the corridors to the Skywalker's personal chambers

"No," Luke told him, "She has a few things to take care of back on Coruscant.  She'll be a fee more days."

"Of course," Kam responded sensing Luke's dark mood by deciding to keep quiet on it for the moment.

"I was told my kids were around," Han said looking while peering down one of the side passages.

"They've gone down to Kessel," Kam told him, "We set up something of a mission on the planet to deal with some of the planets convict population.

"Even though the planet  hasn't been a prison world for well over a decade, many governments still dump their criminals there."

            "It was a prison for a very long time," Corran noted, "for hundreds, if not thousands of years, there are people out there that still don't know that the Old Republic fell, its not surprising world haven't got all the rest figured out yet."

            A small bolt of lightning in the form of a very young child came roaring through the entrance to the Skywalker's home and planted itself firmly on Luke's leg.

            "Daddy, Daddy," Ben Skywalker cried out in glee, so unlike the sometimes stiff old man for whom he was named.

            Luke bent down and pried his young son from his leg and took him up in his arms.

            "Hello, Ben," he said to his son as he gently tickled the boys belly.  Tionne came running in a few moments behind the boy.

            "Sorry Luke, he got away from me," she explained.

            "It's ok Tionne," Luke told her then turned to address his son, "Go play in the other room Ben, daddy will be along shortly, okay."

            The boy simply nodded and wiggled free of his father's grasp and ran off to play with some of his favourite toys with the Jedi bard in close pursuit.

            "Luke, tell me what's going on," Kam asked quietly.

            Luke nodded and began to explain to him what Wang had told them about Krell the Abyss and the Magog.

            "I see," Kam said when Luke had finished, "and I think I understand something that has been troubling me."

            "And what is that," Luke asked with genuine interest.

            "I believe you need to take my apprentice Seamus Harper with you."


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

"Harper, why Harper," Luke asked, shocked by the suggestion of the Jedi teacher, "He has only begun his training.  He is not ready for something so dangerous."

Kam seemed to falter for a moment as he considered his own reasons for offering his hyperactive by brilliant student.  The moment passed him over and the confidence of the stoic Master Jedi returned to him.

"Because the Force demands it," Kam told him simply.

"I'm gonna need a little more to go on before I'm comfortable with this," Han interjected, "I don't care what the Force is telling you."

"Since Seamus arrived, "Kam explained, "I have felt the Force prodding me to train him, to push him, to mold him into a great Jedi.  He is almost ready, he lacks confidence and focus but he is an excellent student, and will be a powerful Jedi."

"He is also a great engineer," Yu Wang added, "He has a natural ability far beyond regular genius.  I remember Harper, from the old days he was the best engineer in the tri-galaxies.

"Lord Knell was very put out when he realized what he had lost when Harper escaped Imperial custody," Wang finished quietly as a wave of revulsion passed over him, "Very put out."

"Fine," Han said tossing his hands in the air, "Why do we always have to pick up hitchhikers when we go on these little missions to save the universe."

"Kam," Luke said, "If you would please show every one to some appropriate accommodations please, we'll be staying the night."

The Jedi Master nodded his assent and led Han, Wang  and Corran from the room.

"Are you going to take Padawan Harper," Tionne asked?

"I don't know yet," Luke responded quietly, "Could you stay here with Ben for a while, I need to meditate on this for a while."

The sounds of rhythmic beating pulsated through the damp smoky air as loud screeches rang out in the in the near blackness of the deep catacombs.  This world had once been called Thyferra, the home of the miracle healing fluid known as Bacta.

The Harbingers of the Abyss ruled here now, Xucphra City belonged to them, and the population was now providing ample recourses for the growing forces of the Abyss.

Death Knell hunted through the streets of Xucphra City looking for the greatest of these new Magog, born and bread in the last few days.  The Spirit of the Abyss demanded he found those Magog who were of greater strength and higher intelligence.  Those who were strong enough were taken to the Abyss to be made even greater, they would be changed modified to become to core of the Magog leadership, the commanders and generals of the Harbingers of the Abyss.

Not far down the ruined streets two of the Harbingers did battle.  A small Vratix child appeared to be their prize.  The Vratix were the original inhabitants of this world and were so highly prized among the Magog.

Stopping to watch, Death Knell realized these Magog were of two different broods, from the smell both had marked the Vratix as there own and neither were going to let the other one take their prize. 

            The Harbingers watched each other closely looking for an advantage as they pressed closer for the attack.  When that attack came the battle was over shortly and only one Harbinger remained standing.

            "Congratulations," Death Knell cried out, "you have defeated your opponent, the prize is yours."

            "Great One," the Magog cried out with the proper amount of surprise and fear, but it was all for show.

            "Take your prize," the Death Knell ordered, "Then leave it among your brood for safe keeping.  "You will come with me, our Master has something special for you."

            The lights in the main workshop of the Jedi Academy had been turned off, only the piercing glare of a handful of work lamps were active.  Feeling the eager and currently very focused mind of Seamus Harper through the Force, Luke entered the shop.

            "Harper, are you in here," Luke called out knowing the answer already.

            "I'm in the back," Harper called out his mind now filled with a nervous energy as he covers up his work with a nearby cloth.

            "Has Kam told you about the mission," Luke asked as he approached.

            "Yes, he said that I might be going with you," Harper replied.

            "Do you think you are ready for such a dangerous mission?"

            "I've done dangerous before," Harper responded, but the words held more confidence then his voice, "I can handle it."

            "I am sure you can," Luke told him.

            "Will Rev Bem be coming," Harper asked.

            "I not asked him to come," Luke said, "Do you think it would be wise?"  
            "I don't know for sure," Harper admitted, "the last time he had to face the Magog in a serious fight he had a lot of trouble getting past it."

            "Perhaps it is time that Reverend Behemial faced those fears," Luke decided, "If he want to come he may.  We will be leaving in the morning Seamus, you had better get some rest."

            "Yes Master," Harper replied scooping up his secret project and heading of to bed.

            Luke walked slowly back to his own quarters to spend the night near his young son.

            The Thyferra system was alive with weapons fire as the forces of the Galactic Alliance engaged the massive Magog force defending the planet.  The Andromeda Ascendant dodged heavy fire as dozens of Swarmships angled in to attack.  Most of the Alliance Cruisers were not fairing as well.

            "Is it always like this," Lando asked?

            "It's never easy," Dylan explained.

            Two more swarmships were vaporized under Andromeda's Anti-proton cannons but more quickly took their place.

            "I'm beginning to think this was a bad idea," Lando announced.

            "C'mon," Beka responded, "Were is your sense of adventure?"

            "I left it behind on Dubrillion, just before the Vong conquered it," he told her.

            Sparks flew across the Command Deck as several large impacts rocked Andromeda's hull.

            "Four Magog ships have impacted the hull," Trance reported, "We are being boarded."

            "Tyr, send more troops into those sections and activate the internal defenses," Dylan ordered, "We need to hold those Magog off long enough to complete the drop."

            "I'll take care of it personally," Tyr responded with a snarl.

            "Fine, go," Dylan replied, "Just keep them off our backs."

            "Were in position Dylan," Rommie reported.

            "That's your cue General," Dylan said turning to face the newly restored Alliance officer.

            "You just make sure you keep those disgusting creatures off OUR backs," Lando replied or this will be the shortest offensive of all time, and trust me I'm an authority."

            Calrissian left Command and shortly afterward the first transports began to depart from Andromeda's hangers.  Over one thousand Alliance soldiers and nearly twenty-thousand of Calrissian's YV battle droids were aboard the Andromeda, the first wave of a massive invasion.

            "All transports are clear Captain," Andromeda veiwscreen self reported, the Alliance fleet is moving into position.

            "They are launching their own drop ships now."

            "Put me through to the entire fleet," Dylan ordered and waited as Andromeda connected him through their new hyperwave transmitter, "In the High Guard we have an expression, 'Hold the line,' nothing gets through unless we allow it and we are not going to allow it.  End transmission."

            "That was beautiful Dylan," Beka cracked.

            "Oh shut up," Dylan replied with a smirk, "I doubt you could have done much better."

            "Alliance forces are launching their atmospheric fighters," Andromeda reported, "They report successful drop ship launches and are awaiting further instructions."

            "Defensive positions only," Dylan responded, "Let's give the ground forces a chance to get settled.

            "Are the 'lads' ready," Dylan asked concerning Andromeda's Planetary Warfare Bots.

            "Both Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum are armed for ground incursions and ready to go," Andromeda reported.

            "Launch PWB's please."

            "PWB's away."

            "The Magog boarding parties have been defeated," Tyr called out as he swaggered on to the Command Deck wearing his dark glasses and gripping tightly his favourite gun.

            "Excellent Tyr," Dylan responded, "See to it that the Magog are cleared from my deck and Rommie, close the hull breaches."

            From the forward Command Post Baron General Lando Calrissian directed his impressive array of military forces.  Much of the capital region was fully over run by unknown thousands of Magog, and every sentient being the Galactic Alliance placed on the ground was being put in extreme danger.

            Towering over his position the Andromeda's massive battle droids, the Planetary Warfare Bots, has secured his position two kilometers from Xucphra City.

            "Deploy a full airstrike to sector XC-120," Lando ordered, "and pull our troops away from that block.  

            Mobility wasn't going to be Lando's problem on the ground as the Alliance was using mostly light combat vehicles and air speeders, the Magog after all used no heavy artillery.

            "General," one of his higher ranker troopers reported, "the landing zone is secure."

            "Good," Lando replied, "Order the advance, I want the outskirts of the city secured by nightfall."

            The soldier acknowledged and carried out his orders.  

It was going to be a long night Lando realized, and it had only been four days since Thyferra had fallen to the Magog.

The orbital situation looked much more promising as Dylan directed the fleet into their orbital positions.  More then thirty capital ships, mostly from the former New Republic fleet but also some from the Imperial Remnant,  were lumbering slowly under Dylan's orders.

"All ships have reported in Captain," Rommie reported, "They are in position  and ready to block any re-enforcements."

"Excellent," Dylan responded, "Send my compliments to the entire fleet on a job well done."

Rommie acknowledged with a nod and sent out the communication.

"Dylan, may I have a word with you," Tyr asked, "Privately."

"Of course Tyr," Dylan said with a slightly puzzled expression, "Beka, you have Command."

With Tyr only a half step behind, Dylan left the Command Deck for the relative privacy of a side corridor not far away.

"What is it Tyr?"

Tyr starred intently for a moment at his long time Captain, adversary, confidant, rival and friend as he gathered his thoughts and perhaps even some nerve.

"Dylan," he finally began, "I know what you are trying to accomplish here.  I understand your motives and the obligations you feel you have.  But I must tell you that this will not work.  We have seen the future.  We are from the future.  It cannot BE changed.  "We should turn around now, head back to our own galaxies and try to find a way back to our own time."

"For the moment Tyr," Dylan responded, "this is our time and we have no way back to our future.  We can make a difference here and now, everything else is just theory.

"If we can defeat the Magog here and now, the future of our galaxies will be altered, the Commonwealth might never have fallen, your family may have lived…"

"That too is only a theory Captain," Tyr reminded him, "And not a very logical one."

The streets of Xucphra City were alive with battle as thousands of soldiers moved into the city massacring Magog as they went.  Few of the Magog carried any kind of weapons relying on their physical prowess and sharp claws and of course their paralytic poison.

            But even the powerful blaster carbines of the Alliance forces were not enough to keep the hordes of Magog at bay, their numbers were so overwhelming.  

            Lando had order special units formed to retrieve anyone who was infested by the larva of the Magog and to bring them back to base camp for treatment.  Dylan had provided a powerful drug called leukoprene that would slow the gestation period of the larva by several months.

            "Sir, another transport is returning with more wounded," a lieutenant reported, "military and civilian."

            "How many," Lando asked?"

            "Several hundred sir," came the nearly whispered reply."

            "Get those civilians the drug first, they are probably much further along then any of our troops."

            "Yessir," came the reply.

            "And get on the horn with Captain Hunt," Lando continued, "Tell him we're going to need more Leukoprene right now."


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Standing in the shielded observation tower of his forward Command Post, General Lando Calrissian surveyed the battle scene before him.  Located just on the outskirts of Xucphra City it was the perfect place to direct his troops as the scoured the city looking for the Magog.

Most of the invasion forces combat Droids were still in operation and were having the greatest success against the enemy, the regular ground troops had not been so fortunate.

"Sir another group is returning from the city," one of his sergeants reported, "Mostly injured, but some of them were infested."

"Send them back with the others," Lando ordered, "And remind the forward commanders that they are to stay under the protection of the War Droids."

"Yes sir," he replied.

Lando went back to surveying the battle field this time concentrating on the useless heavy artillery pieces they had brought along.  The Magog had no large set artillery pieces to go up against, they were an infantry force at best, but more like a ravenous horde.  The fleet was keeping any remaining Swarmships out of the fight and the goal was to liberate the city not to destroy it outright.

Not that they could destroy the city, the Magog had erected some kind of dampening field around the city blocking even the deep scans from the sensors aboard the orbiting starships.  Without a clear picture of how many civilians were in the city he could never order such a devastating attack.

"Sergeant," Lando began, "detail a squad to locate and destroy the dampening unit, I want to know what is going on in that city."

"Yes sir," the soldier replied.

In orbit around the planet Dylan Hunt was growing more and more uneasy as the ground battle progressed.

"You want to be down there don't you," Beka commented from the pilots station.

"In a way yes," Dylan admitted, "I don't like sitting here and watching while people are dieing."

The image of Andromeda appeared on the forward screen forestalling any reply.

"Another group of Swarmships have launched from the far side of the planet," she reported, "Eight craft are detected."

"Have the Mon Vista and the Carrion move to intercept," Dylan ordered, "and increase fighter flybys of the far side of the planet."

"Dylan, I've just received word from the Alliance Command," Trance reported, "More Leukoprene will arrive shortly."

"Excellent," Dylan replied, "It's a good thing the Galactic Alliance has such an advanced pharmaceutical capability or a lot more people would have died today."

"Yeah, well living with a brood of Magog in your gut couldn't be much better then death," Beka noted, "As I'm sure Harper can testify.  If we ever see him again."

"Where there is life Beka, there is also hope," Tyr reminded her.

"Swarm destroyed Captain," Andromeda reported cutting off Beka's reply once again, "Wait another swarm has been detected."

"Take them out," Dylan ordered.

"General Calrissian," the Sergeant began, "A squad of Stormtrooper have located the dampening field in an Bacta storage facility in the Zaltin Corporate District."

"Order them to move in," Lando told him, "I want that unit destroyed immediately."

"Understood," came the reply.

A moment latter one of Lando's Lieutenant approached, "Sir, we are receiving reports from the Medical Unit.  Several of the civilians we rescued are very close to their Magog births.

"Sir the Leukoprene will have no effect in these circumstances."

Lando looked on his officer with a deep sadness, the choice was clear though utterly detestable.

"Lieutenant Corwin, you know what they have to do," Lando told him, "Go see that it gets done."

"Yes sir," he replied and with reluctance turned to relay his general's orders.

Turning once more to the battle at hand Lando knew he had made the only choice available to him, and yet it made him feel somehow worse then when he had betrayed his own friend, Han Solo, to the Dark Lord of the Sith himself.

And there was no way to make this one up to anyone.

All around him the flickering sensor screens began to come to life along with the direct feed from the orbital sensors giving the General, for the first time, a clear picture of his battlefield.

Magog were everywhere.

Throughout the capital city hundreds of thousands of Magog roamed freely, far more then they had ever imagined.  Only a handful of living humans remained within a hundred kilometer radius of the city beside those of the invasion force, and even less of the native Vratix.

As the resolution of the monitors cleared even further Lando began to see that the Magog were digging massive warrens through the ground directly beneath the base camp including the medical unit and his own command post.

Shock for a moment seized the General as he realized the horrible implications of what he was seeing.  Sensing the return of his wits Lando prepared to give his orders.

Too late, the Magog began to burst out from the ground and began to descend upon any soldier nearby.

Screeching his orders to all the Magog around him, Death Knell lead the attack on the Alliance Command Post.  Much of his force was attacking the medical area in order to protect the soon to be born progeny from the vial clutches of the Alliance's medicines.

Directing some of the few Magog armed with weapons to attack the defending battle droids the Magog were able to quickly secure the perimeter of the Command post.

Taking his time and ensuring that his own troops were following their instruction, Death Knell slowly advanced and entered the outpost.  Inside he discovered that many of the personal were already dead along with several unfortunate Magog.

A dark skinned human with a flowing cape stood at the far side of the post, blaster at the ready, but turned facing a communication system.

"This is Lando Calrissian," the human called, "our position is overrun.  We need evac immediately."

"There is no time for that," Death Knell called out in Basic to the human taunting him.

In response the human spun around more quickly then Knell could have imagined sending a blaster bolt into his left shoulder.

"A mistake human," Knell cried gripping his wound and in a half a moment pounced on the unprepared human being spraying him with paralytic poison, "You shall make an adequate host for my progeny."

"Have all ground forces withdraw and secure the landing zone and the forward Command Post," Dylan ordered after receiving Lando's request for reinforcements.

"More Magog are moving over land to support the first wave," Tyr reported, "Many, many more."

"Have Blue, Alpha and Sabre squadrons launch an air strike on those positions," Dylan decided.

"Dylan," Rommie began.

"What now," Dylan snapped.

"A large Swarm has just existed slipstream," she continued un-phased, "they are joining up with forces launching from the planet's surface."

"How many," Dylan asked afraid to hear the answer.

"Too many," she replied, "Several hundred at least."

"It is NEVER easy," Dylan lamented, "We are in way over our heads, prepare to evacuate the ground forces, we're leaving."

"But Dylan, most of the transports have been gathering the Bacta reserves for use offworld," Trance told him, "We'll need some time to off load the cargo and begin gathering the troops."

"Understood," Dylan replied in a mildly defeated tone, "Tell them to stop loading the Bacta and get as many troops aboard as they can.

"And tell the fleet to hold the line."

"They are not the High Guard Captain," Tyr reminded him.

"They are now," Dylan told him, "Engage the swarm."

Around the Andromeda battle raged.

Torpedoes, missiles, and energy beams filled the blackness of space above the planet Thyferra as the forces of the Galactic Alliance tried to hold back the onslaught of the Magog swarm.  

Nearly two hours had past since the first wave of the Magog attack had entered the system.  The Alliance forces had made a good accounting of themselves in the fight but as the first point-singularity bomb crashed through an Alliance warship it became clear that they would not win this fight.

"Do we know which Swarmship that was," Dylan demanded.

"No such luck," Beka replied, "There are to many."

"Status of the withdrawal," Dylan asked.

"We need ten more minutes," Trance replied.

"You have five."

Another ship was torn to shreds as PSBs slammed into its hull and command tower.  Escape pod began to fly from the ship and its shields soon failed completely.  Magog craft began angling in to board the doomed craft.

"Keep the swarm away from that Star Destroyer," Dylan ordered and defensive missiles began to fly out at the clawed spike-like craft.

"The last of the transports is secure Dylan," Trance reported.

"All craft," Dylan began, "fall back to rendezvous point.  Pick up as many survivors as you can.

"Tyr, give me a target solution for Xucphra City," he continued, "Orbital bombardment."

"Dylan?" the now soft and incredulous voice of Beka Valentine called.

"Fire," was Dylan's only reply.

Below the Andromeda the Thyferran capital light up in flame as and barrage of ground attack missiles pounded into the surface.  In a moment their was nothing left of the city but flame.

"Beka, take us to slipstream," Dylan ordered.

The slipstream console closed around his first officer, who still in shock grabbed hold of the control sticks and took the ship into the alternate reality of Slipstream.

In the relative calm of the rendezvous point Dylan Hunt sat quietly in his office studying the causality reports.  The battle for Thyferra had cost the Galactic Alliance dearly.  Nearly ten thousand dead, thousands more were made hosts for Magog progeny.  Left behind on the planet were thousands more not to mention all the equipment and artillery.

The entire contingent of combat droids in an act of extreme valour chose to remind behind to continue the fight on the planet and protect those civilians who had survived.

"Dylan," Trance said as she stepped through the open door, "I thought you should know, we recovered General Calrissian.  He was very badly injured Dylan but he was also infested with Magog larva.

"We did everything we could for him here, put him on a leukoprene drip and repaired most of the serious injuries, but he required Bacta treatment to survive.  I had him sent over to the Mon Vista, the doctors there expect a full recovery."

"Thank you Trance," Dylan replied shortly, "Will that be all."

"You did what you thought was best Dylan," Trance told him, "You made your choice, you must live with it."

"Living with it Trance is what I'm afraid of."


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

The Millennium Falcon plowed its course through the blue/white whirl of the otherworldly dimension known as hyperspace. Spread out through the old freighters living areas were some of the greatest names in recent galactic history and a number of guest from another galaxy entirely.

"We're only a couple hours out from the Khomm System," Han reported to no one in particular.

"This is only the first step in our journey, Captain Solo," Rev Bem as the only other occupant in the cockpit replied as he sat in the navigator's position, "And yet I fear great danger as we approach our destination."

"Don't worry, I'll make the sure the shields are charged to maximum when we arrive," Han told him, "We don't want any of those disgusting creatures puncturing our hull."

Rev only growled in response.

"No offense," was Han's somewhat chagrined reply.

"Perhaps I shall check up on young Master Harper," Rev decided granting Han an understanding nod as he exited the cockpit.

In the main cabin Luke and Kam Solusar were putting Harper through a highly focused training session as Corran and Yu Wang watched silently from behind the holo-chessboard. Rev quietly joined them as Harper lifted yet another object from the deck using only the Force.

The two Jedi Master circled the young apprentice as he sat cross-legged on the deck. From Rev's count Harper had thirteen object suspended around the room and while there was look of deep concentration of his face he did not seem to be horribly strained.

"Good Seamus," Kam praised, "Very good, your focus as increased greatly."

"I've has some help," he admitted glancing over at Rev.

Letting the comment pass Rev watched as Luke reached into one of the packs they had brought with them from the Academy. From it he produced to object, a fist sized sphere and what appeared to be lightsaber.

"It's only a practice blade," Luke told him, "but I would like you to work on your lightsaber skills."

"Of course master," Harper replied placing all the levitating object back from where he got them and grabbing the last object, a forcelance, from the air in front of him, "but the practice saber won't be necessary."

Twirling the Forcelance around in one hand he raised it in the en guard position and a stream of glowing blue light burst forth with a snap/hiss. Swinging his lightsaber in gentle arcs it humming filled the stunned room.

Deactivating the Saber, Harper presented the weapon to Master Skywalker.

"You constructed your own lightsaber," Luke said with some surprise, "That is most impressive."

"And the great part is that it maintains most of the functionality of the original forcelance," Harper told them, "It still fires effectors, has a flashlight, and can extend to a quarterstaff, amongst other things but I managed squeeze a lightsaber emitter and focusing crystal in there as well."

"Very impressive Seamus," Luke told him returning the weapon, "But you still have to practice with the remote."

Activating the small device Harper began to practice, his skill with the blade was small, but it quickly developed and soon the small stinger bolts were being easily deflected by the young Jedi.

"That was once me," Luke confided quitely to Rev he watched the display, "In this very room, a very long time ago."

Before Rev could answer Han came out from the cockpit, "Well, we should be coming out of hyperspace in a few minutes," he announced, "Luke, why don't you and the new kid take the quadlasers. Corran I'd like you to join me in the cockpit."

"Of course general," Luke said with a smirk.

"None of that now," Han warned raising his forefinger to emphasis the point.

A moment latter Han and Corran were seated in the cockpit, Kam had joined them while Wang and Rev waited in the Cabin.

"Well here it goes," Han announced but before he could deactivate the hyperdrive the ship was unceremoniously decanted from hyperspace.

"What was that," Corran demanded.

"A mass shadow," Han replied as two massive jolts rocked the ship.

"Han, swarmships," Luke called out through the intercom.

"I see them," Han replied, "Corran set two-seven-one."

Banking the Falcon sharply and going into a steep dive Han managed to avoid two more missile strikes. Three swarmships were now gunning for the Falcon as Luke and Harper let loose on the quads.

Guided by the Force, Luke tracked the first of the swarmships and sent powerful bolts of energy coursing through the deadly craft setting it ablaze.

Harper too managed to score a hit on one of the attacking Magog ships sending it arcing away in a long turn.

"Just nicked him," Harper cried, "He'll be back."

"Understood ," Luke replied as he sent traces of fire into the next Magog craft causing it to break off it attack as well.

"They're coming around for another pass," Luke announced but not before two concussion missiles sailed out from the forward launchers rendering both swarmships into molten bits a slag.

"Nice work everyone," Han called out, "But there are more Magog in the system, but they are pretty far away.

"And oh yeah, we have a bit of a problem."

"The planet is gone," Han told them, "the entire thing is just gone, no debris, no nothing. Just gone."

"What could do that," Kam asked, "An entire world can't just be gone without a trace,"

"Tell that to the Vedrans," Harper said quietly.

"I do have a possible explanation," Han reasoned, "the Khomm sun is gone too. Well not so much gone as it is a Black Hole."

"By the Force," Kam breathed.

"Do you think the Worldship destroyed the system," Luke asked looking at Rev and Yu Wang.

"It is possible," Wang admitted, "But I don't know for certain."

"It is what my people do," was Rev's response.

"So what do we do now," Han asked the inevitable question.

"We continue," Luke responded, "deeper into the core. It is all we can do."

"Kothlis Control, this is the Andromeda Ascendant," Dylan nearly shouted out over the communication system, static was filling every channel.

"I'm sorry Dylan," Andromeda's vidscreen self reported, "I'm recalibrating the holonet, and subspace transmitters."

"That's the fourth time in three days," Andromeda's avatar complained, "There is just to much interference with the Exotic Matter Core, some sort of subspace interference I can't filter out."

The transmission cleared and the now matured features of Admiral Tealera Meduk filled the forward screen.

"Welcome to Kothlis Dylan," Meduck began, "I wish this was under better circumstances."

"Me too Admiral," Dylan replied, "What is the status of my fleet?"  
"You sustained heavy casualties Captain," Meduck told him, "But most of the ships returned safely. There are however some questions that need to be answered before we can continue the fight."

"I'll do whatever I can to help of course," Dylan told her.

"I know you will Captain."

Sitting amongst a group of some of the most important people in the Galactic Alliance military made Dylan feel a little small, not the lest because they were all yelling... about him.

"The Alliance cannot support the actions of Dylan Hunt," one Admiral shouted out, "Planetary bombardment is a very Imperial tactic."

"There was nothing else he could do," some alien General returned from across the room.

"Let us here the Captain's report before we make our final decision," Admiral Sovv, the Supreme Commander interjected calmly.

Dylan stood and recounted quietly the details of failed battle at Thyferra. He told them about the Magog warrens deep below the city and how they expanded even beneath the invasion force.

He held nothing back, the entire assault from start to finish, including the unfortunate injury of Lando Calrissian.

"Why did you bombard Xucphra City?" Sovv asked pointedly.

"Your sensors are amazing pieces of technology," Dylan replied, "they told us that so few native Thyferran's had survived, greater then ninety percent of the population was now dead.

"It was the only thing we could do to slow the Magog advance on the rest of the planet."

"Captain Hunt, on the authority of the Chief-of-State I hereby relieve you of any authority in the Alliance Defense Forces," Sovv told him, "You are ordered to leave this system immediately."

"I understand," Dylan replied.

Dylan said little on the ride back to the Andromeda, the thrum of the Maru's engines were just about the only sound.

"You did all you could you know," Beka announced, "These people don't understand the threat they face."

"I know Beka." was his only reply.

"I mean what else can you do but destroy the Magog when you find them," she tried again.

"I know," he said again.

"You look tired Dylan," Beka told him with concern.

"A long day," Dylan replied.

"Perhaps now we can abandon this foolishness and save our own galaxies," Tyr suggested as he cockpit. It would be a more useful waste of our time."

"Dylan," Rommie appeared on the Maru's viewer, "We are receiving a message of the Imperial Remnant. It is Admiral Pellaeon."

"Put it through Rommie," Dylan ordered as he lifted himself to stand before the viewer.

"Admiral Pellaeon," Dylan began as the aged man filled the screen, "To what do I own this honour."

"I've been considering Captain your recent actions," the Admiral told him, "And I feel that your ship may have a great deal to offer the Empire in this war against the Magog.

"I want your help Dylan. I need your help, we all do."

Deep inside the winding and seemingly endless warrens torn into the planet once known as Thyferra, thousands of newly born Harbingers were feeding and growing strong. The Galactic Alliance assault had been a near complete failure and thousands of their troops lay dead on the surface.

Death Knell, the first of the Great Magog officer cast stood tall on the surface reviewing the carnage and the handful of new recruits to be taken to the Spirit of the Abyss in order to be filled with his harsh light.

Each of those Magog were tied down, held in place so that they would not run off or attack each other. Each now seemed resigned to their unknown fate but soon they would be filled with wisdom and intelligence to rival the great minds of this era.

The blisters left behind from the multiple blast hits he had suffered had nearly healed. The war droid that had inflicted these injuries upon him while rescuing his prize, the dark human General had been destroyed by his own hand, as had all its mechanical brethren. They had been torn asunder in punishment for taking the Host for his progeny.

But there would be more, many more such host in days to come.

In the sky high above the ruined planet the sky suddenly seemed to part as unfathomable energies were released.

The Worldship had arrived.

"Rise," Death Knell screeched out over the deafening din, "Arise and great your master."

Massive tendrils, hundreds of kilometers long, and thousands of meters wide burst forth from the Worldship and reached out to the conquered world. Groundquakes began to shake the planet to its very core and gravity seemed to become more intense for a time.

The artificial star at the centre of the Worldship began to draw closer, but in truth it was the planet that was being drawn to the star.

Boarding his swarmship along with his new initiates, Death Knell surveyed the planet once more as it was ripped from its orbit. From the new vantage point afforded to him by the rapidly ascending vessel Knell could see the forest began to blaze, and every city had crumpled.

Thyferra was now part of the Worldship.

A point singularity burst sealed the deal as the Thyferran sun collapsed into an artificially created black hole.


End file.
